Cran-carrot sourdough cake

CRANBERRY-CARROT SOURDOUGH CAKE BARS 

This cake is nothing to shout about. It's not glamorous and is actually quite homely. If not for the cream cheese frosting on top, it would look quite plain. But if you're looking for something that tastes good and is a somewhat healthy snack to tide you over before dinnertime, this cake will fulfil that role well enough.

Like most sourdough cakes, this one has a tang to it and the degree depends on how hydrated you keep your starter/levain and the type of wild yeast you capture in the area where you live. But it also keeps well and should still stay fresh tightly covered in the fridge for a week or so.

I think the flavour develops only after a day – just after it's made, it tastes quite bland to me – and if kept in the fridge, I prefer to leave it at room temperature for at least half an hour before eating.

The recipe I based this cake on was twice as big. Other changes I made to the recipe were to use coconut oil (which gives the cake a light flavour of coconut) and to add some dried cranberries, since I had some in the pantry.

Cran-Carrot Sourdough Cake Bars

Serves 10-12. Based on this recipe.

130g all-purpose flour

160g caster sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

125g starter at 80% hydration, from the fridge (unfed)

85g coconut oil

2 medium eggs

115g finely shredded carrots

35g dried cranberries

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

100g cream cheese

50g butter

75g icing (confectioner's) sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 170°C. Grease and line an 18cm square pan with parchment paper; grease paper.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a mixing bowl; stir to blend well.

In another bowl, stir together starter, coconut oil and eggs. Place shredded carrots in a sieve and gently press with a wooden spoon to remove some of the liquid; the carrots should still be moist. Stir carrots into the starter mixture.

Add carrot-starter mixture to the flour mixture. Using an electric whisk, beat the mixture together for 2 minutes. Fold in the cranberries.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is springy and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool cake in tin 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Place in an air-tight container or wrap in paper and cling film and set aside for a day for the flavour to develop.

To make the frosting, cream the cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Frost the top of the cake and cut into bars to serve.

For the drizzle on top, take about a tablespoon of frosting and add enough water to it to loosen it. Add some food colouring.