This recipe for “Carrot, Date and Pistachio Cake” was created by Michael Robinson, Head Chef at the Margan Restaurant at Broke Fordwich, in the Hunter Valley of NSW. Margan Restaurant was recently named one of the Top Ten Regional NSW Restaurants by Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2014.
Ingredients
125 g self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon of mixed spice
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup light olive oil
2 free range eggs
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 c
- Line an 18 cm spring form bake tin with ‘gladbake’ (or similar)
- Sift flour, spices and sugar together.
- Lightly beat oil and eggs together and add to flour.
- Beat with an electric beater for about a minute until smooth.
- Fold in dates, nuts and carrots.
- Pour into tin and bake for an hour. Cool.
To Serve
In the Margan Restaurant we serve with fried carrot ribbons (shredded carrot- do this with a peeler- deep fried in clean oil, drained and cooled) ; vanilla creme anglaise and praline pistachios (toffee coated pistachios). Or a simple dusting of icing sugar works well.
Recipe by Head Chef Michael Robinson of Margan Restaurant based in the beautiful Broke Fordwich wine sub-region of the Hunter Valley. Known as ‘the tranquil side of the Hunter Valley’, the region offers an authentic, rustic and stunningly picturesque destination for travellers wanting a relaxed getaway. For more information visit brokefordwich.com.au