The Twin Blessings: Carrot-Coconut Cake

We were invited to a baby shower party last weekend. The blessed friend is a long time reader of Mahanandi recipes. For a present, instead of another plastic thing, I wanted to gift something nourishing for the twins-expecting mother. After giving it a thought for sometime, I came up with an idea. Carrots, coconut and pecans brought in. Carrots and coconut grated, pecans chopped. Baby bananas substituted eggs and to make it truly a party treat, I experimented by adding some condensed milk to the whole-wheat batter.

The effort was a sweet success…some great looking carrot–coconut mini cakes came out of the oven. I didn’t have the heart to spoil their healthy glow with cheesy coverup. I took them to the party, as they are without the phony makeup, hoping they would receive with “I like you very much, just as you are.”

Carrot and Coconut ~ Grated for the Cake
Carrot and Coconut ~ Grated to Greet the Cake Batter

Carrot-Coconut Cake
(the batter makes about 24 mini cakes)

Ingredients:
Special (wet):
Coconut: Break a fresh coconut. Grate the coconut. – 2 cups.
Carrots: Peel the skin and grate the carrots.- 2 cups.
Pecans: Finely chop pecans. – 1 cup.
Bananas: 2 baby or 1 big, ripe one. Mash the bananas to smooth – 1 cup.
Oil: I added peanut oil – 1/2 cup
Condensed milk: 1 cup
Milk : 2 to 3 cups

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Preparation:

Take the dry ingredients listed above in a big bowl. Mix well. Add the wet ingredients – grated carrot, coconut, chopped pecans, mashed banana, condensed milk, milk and oil. Combine thoroughly until well mixed. If the batter looks dry and crumbly, add more milk or water in a slow, steady stream, folding continuously. Consistency of the batter has to be more on the wet side and easily spreadable.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Generously apply ghee or oil to cake pans. Keep them ready on baking trays.

Transfer the batter to the cake pans and fill them upto ¾ths. Place them in oven and bake until the top is light golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, for about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the cakes to cool completely and then unmold.

Enjoy the tasty carrot coconut cake, just as they are.

 Carrot Coconut Cake Batter filled Mini Cake Pans
Carrot Coconut Cake Batter

carrot Coconut Mini Cakes ~ Fresh Out of Oven
Carrot Coconut Mini Cakes ~ Fresh Out of Oven

© Recipe and Photos Copyright 2009 Indira Singari.

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29 Responses to “The Twin Blessings: Carrot-Coconut Cake”

  1. Madhuli says:

    They look as cute as the little ones will….Nice and simple recipe too.

  2. arundati says:

    have baked with carrots and whole wheat the whole week that has gone by… will try this out next time…carrot and coconut sure seem to go well together….

  3. shreya says:

    Hello Indira

    Please can you tell me where the moulds are from. I am looking to get them since long. The cake look tempting.

    Also did you use the normal chappati flour.

    Shreya

  4. Bhuvana says:

    Hey, Someone has been watching BJ Dairy. What a sweet word-play! 🙂 Loved this post, Indira.:)

  5. Sonia says:

    Sweet gesture of you Indira! Cake looks really beautiful. Loved the ingredients you used. 🙂

  6. Nirmala says:

    wow thats a nice gift. After becomming a foodie I too always feel good food is the best gift! The combo looks very nice. Teh carrot+coconut+cardomom is my favoite and once Amma added these to sevai and they were very nice. The mini caks looks fluffy and gorgeous…afterall taste is the inner beauty 😉

  7. PARI says:

    Hi Indira ji. The cake looks so cute and the best part ..it’s so healthy.Love the combo.

  8. Ranjan says:

    Hi Indira, the combination of cake sounds great. I am sure they were very much appreciated and a very health and personal gift.

  9. Gauri says:

    really healthy.. i like the photographs on your blog too, very artistically taken, always.

  10. Mythreyee says:

    Looks wonderful. I don’t have this beautifully designed molds. Let me try in usual muffin/cupcake molds.

  11. rashmi says:

    wow…the fresh healthy cupcakes looks so inviting….

  12. mona says:

    The lil cakes look delicious!

  13. Cake looks cute and perfect. Nice combination.

  14. DK says:

    OMG! This is amazing. I made a carrot cake v v similar to yours and is due to be posted soon :)Although I have to say, yours look much better 😉

  15. Veggie Belly says:

    how thoughtful and inventive of you. love th cute little mini cakes!

  16. Madhuram says:

    I have never used peanut oil while baking. I’m wondering if it imparted it’s fragrance in the final cake.

  17. Sapna says:

    They look awesome and so tempting! I am sure they taste delicious

  18. vrinda says:

    Lov carrot cake,but never tried with coconut,sounds yumm and looks cute….

  19. Manasi says:

    Love the molds! The healthy cake is a wonderful way of adding sweetness for a mommy-to-be!

  20. sanjeeta kk says:

    A great school snack box recipe for my kids. Shall bake and freeze the goodies for hastle free mornings.

  21. vineetha says:

    Wonderful combination…Have to try this out one day 🙂

  22. Aparna says:

    Indira,

    If i was the one who was in friend’s shoes, i would have received it with same gesture. Very apt writing and nice recipe. Can’t stop saying “cute”.

    OF course, welcome back we missed you!

  23. Sheetal says:

    They are overwhelmingly cute!! I love the sound of carrots and coconut … yummm!

  24. Indira says:

    Thanks friends for your nice comments. Hope you get a chance to try and enjoy the twin blessings cake.

    Shreya: I bought them long ago at a flea market. Try Amazon or Ebay, also kitchen section at local stores. During Christmas season, shops carry baking pans in a variety of shapes and sizes.

    Nirmala: To Sevai? Amma is genius! I have to try it. Thank you as always for your lovely comment.

    Thanks Ranjan and Gauri.

    Mythreyee: So good to see you back. Hope everything is on the mend and you are feeling great.
    They make great muffins or cupcakes.

    DK: Same pinch then.:)
    I can’t wait to read your version and I know for sure, yours will be much better than my plain jane avatars.:)

    Madhuram: Peanut oil works great in cake recipes, is almost imperceptible in final product.

    Thanks Aparna. So good to see you back at Bhakshanam. Missed you too, my friend.

  25. Kay says:

    Beautiful gesture, Indira.. I remember you baking a walnut persimmon cake for a friend who had just delivered a child, a few yrs ago. You are a sweetheart!

    I love the cute little cakes.. Can’t wait to try them.

  26. Cilantro says:

    Cute cakes and a beautiful gesture. Good to see you back.

  27. jayasree says:

    Liked the Carrot+coconut combo. Cake moulds are beautiful. I am sure your friend must be happy to receive a healthy, delicious treat.

  28. Ramani says:

    Hi Indira,
    I made this cake last weekend for a party in a regular 9 inch round cake pan. I followed the recipe but reduced the quantities of the ingredients to half. Mixed the flour with soy milk (no water). The cake came out excellent. Moist, crumbly and tasted as good as it looked. Thanks for this wonderful and healthy recipe. It’s a keeper.

  29. Maven says:

    I plan on making this Wednesday night, so that I can take it to my hubby’s mamma & mammi’s for Thanksgiving. I plan on glazing it with a simple glaze flavored with rosewater. I cannot wait to make this! I have my bananas ripening on my counter right now:)

    PS: Also plan on making the carrot cabbage dish, too, as I am sure I will go crazy shredding the carrots in my food processor:)

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