Venetian Carrot Cake

½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin), more for greasing pan (I used spray oil for the pan)
3 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), trimmed
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup rum
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup finely ground almonds
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Finely grated zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts (I used almonds)
¼ teaspoon confectioners' sugar.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Grate carrots with a hand-held grater, or place in a food processor and chop until very fine but not puréed. Wrap in paper towels and press gently to soak up excess liquid.

2. In a small saucepan, combine golden raisins and rum. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 3 minutes. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together sugar and ½ cup olive oil until creamy and airy. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until well-blended.

3. Remove bowl from mixer. Add flour, baking soda, almonds, nutmeg, grated carrots, raisins and their liquid, lemon zest and lemon juice. Using a rubber spatula, fold together until blended. Scrape into pan and smooth surface; batter will be very shallow in pan.

4. Sprinkle pine nuts evenly over cake. Bake until risen and golden and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove side from pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a serving platter and dust with confectioners' sugar sifted through a fine-mesh sieve.

Makes: One 9-inch cake (10 to 12 servings).

Source: nytimes.com, Nigella Lawson, May 4, 2005

Prepared by: Lena for the October 2009 meeting.