This fluffy thyme carrot cake is a savoury dish made with several thin carrot strips and a fluffy cake. To balance the flavour it includes fresh thyme and some young Gouda cheese. A combination that will become your favourite meal for the cold season.
I love carrot cake. However, instead of a classic carrot cake, I was looking for something different, for something more. Do you know what I mean? I still wanted a carrot cake, but savoury at the same time.
As in the invisible apple cake, a small amount of flour and egg holds the whole cake together. Because the carrot contains less water or juices than an apple, the cake will result in a fluffier and even crumb.
It is also a great way how to enjoy vegetables in a different approach. In this case, I used carrots. Simple, classic orange carrots are just perfect. However, if you’d like to, you can use purple or yellow carrots or all three together. Create a carrot rainbow. Wink.
For more incredible and tasty recipes, you might check these ones, too: stuffed Savoy cabbage cake, the Slovenian frtalja, a healthy baked lentil loaf or this berries stuffed sweet potato.
This savoury cake version features thin and firm carrot strips together with a light thyme note. I love herbs which have a floral but at the same time earthy, peppery and lemony taste. This is an exact description of thyme and rosemary.
If you are looking for more flavour pick fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill, rosemary, sage or chive. But, I would recommend using a herb that’s not overpowering the rest of the dish. In fact, the flavours should complete each other and not compete with each other. Wink. That’s the reason I used thyme. Thyme has a gentle and aromatic flavour that completes carrots and this cake.
Also, I can say the same about cheese. I decided on taking grated young Gouda cheese. A young cheese has a milder, soft, almost sweet taste. If you like cheese with a stronger flavour, simply reduce the amount, in order to let all of the ingredients shine. Wink.
I love to serve vegetables with some horseradish dip. Lately, I am obsessed with horseradish. Wink. This carrot cake pairs wonderfully with strong and spicy flavours. Do you like horseradish? It is almost like wasabi, but white. Its sharp flavour starts in your mouth and then kicks into your nose. It may bring tears to your eyes. Wink.
Not a fan of spicy? No problem. You can combine it with some cream cheese or yogurt dip, too. The same goes for the salad. Pick any salad you like and pair it with this delicious carrot cake. In fact, this combo will be a gorgeous meal, which you can enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients for a savoury thyme carrot cake (Ø 18CM):
- 6 large carrots
- 1/2 a lemon
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
- 35 ml olive oil
- 15 ml of pumpkin seed oil
- 90 ml of milk
- 150 g flour (sieved)
- 7 g baking powder
- 100 g grated cheese (young Gouda)
- fresh thyme
- arugula (optional)
- horseradish (optional)
To begin, wash and peel the carrots. Also, prepare a larger bowl with cold water and squeeze the juice of half a lemon in it. Using a potato peeler, create thin long carrot strips. Place them into the bowl with water.
Then, prepare a baking form or a spring form and lightly grease it with oil or butter. In another larger bowl, add the eggs, salt, pepper, olive oil and pumpkin oil, thyme and milk. Mix until well combined.
Furthermore, preheat the oven to 180°C. Add the cheese and sieved flour and baking powder to the eggs. Mix until the flour is well incorporated. Drain the carrot strips and add them to the batter. Toss quickly to cover all of the strips with the batter.
At this point, pour the batter into the baking form, smooth the top and put it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Afterwards, cover it with a piece of aluminium foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Once the savoury carrot cake is ready and baked, allow it to cool down.
Finally, serve the fluffy thyme carrot cake on some fresh arugula salad and some horseradish or some other dip.
Enjoy.
