MAKES 1 x 20cm CAKE
unsalted butter for the tin
120ml groundnut or vegetable oil
150g golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs separated
2 tbsp milk
90g coarsely grated raw carrot
60g walnuts chopped quite finely
50g raisins
60g fine polenta (or grind coarse polenta in an electric coffee mill)
60g ground almonds
1½ rounded tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
TO FINISH
icing sugar
crushed dried rose petals (optional)
full-fat Greek yoghurt dusted with a pinch of cinnamon (optional)
♥ Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin about 7cm deep. Whisk the oil and caster sugar in a large bowl, then whisk in the egg yolks and milk, and fold in the carrot, nuts and raisins. Combine the polenta and ground almonds in a medium bowl, then sift over and stir in the baking powder and the spices. Mix this into the carrot mixture.
♥ Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until stiff, fold in two goes into the cake mixture and transfer to the buttered tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes until shrinking from the sides and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Run a knife around the top edge of the cake, which will be quite delicate, and leave it to cool.
♥ Dust the cake with icing sugar and remove the collar. Finish with a scattering of crushed dried rose petals if wished. It will keep for several days loosely covered with clingfilm, in which case add the finishes close to the time of serving.
SERVING IDEA I also like this with a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt dusted with a pinch of cinnamon and extra rose petals.