This is a cake you can feel pretty good about as it's packed with fruit and veg. It doesn't taste too worthy though - it's moist and delicious, especially when it's fresh out of the oven. It's a good one for picnics or packed lunches or an after-school/nursery pick-me-up. We don't bother with a topping except for a handful of oats and a little sprinkling or dark brown sugar, but you could add a cream cheese icing, a simple lemon icing or just a little icing sugar to top it off. The recipe does involve a fair bit of grating, but other than that it's a piece of cake!
- 250g carrots, grated
- Half a courgette, grated
- 1 small ripe banana, mashed
- 1 apple, grated (no need to peel)
- 100g raisins or sultanas
- Handful of walnuts, chopped (optional)
- 250g self-raising flour
- 75g light brown sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 100ml vegetable/sunflower oil
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- A handful of oats and brown sugar to sprinkle on top if you like
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4 and grease/line a 20cm square brownie tin with greaseproof paper.
2. In a large bowl put all of the fruit, veg and nuts (if using). Stir, then add all the remaining ingredients and fold until well mixed.
3. Once you have a smooth batter, pour it into the tin. If you like, add a handful of oats and dark brown sugar for added texture.
4. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes. It should be risen, golden and smelling delicious. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then cool on a wire rack and cut into squares.