Food historians believe that the ancestor of the modern carrot descended from the Middle East around 5000 years ago. These old world carrots were white, purple, red, yellow, and even green and black. Purple carrots began to be cultivated in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern Iran around the tenth century.
It wasn't until the sixteenth century that the orange roots, which we know and love today, were developed by Dutch growers in the Netherlands during the sixteenth century. The patriotic Dutch growers developed the orange carrot to celebrate the House of Orange. The orange color comes from the pigment carotene.
Carrots were brought to Europe by the early Crusaders and Arab traders, and Europeans brought the carrot to America during the seventeenth century.
Peasants used the roots for soups that made up the main staple diet, and doctors prescribed carrots for every possible affliction, from dog bites to syphilis.
Carrots have been used in sweet cakes in Europe since the medieval period when sweetners were expensive and hard to obtain.
Along with beets, carrots contain more sugar than any other vegetable, possibly explaining why they are used in some desserts.
Carrot cake experienced a revival in Britain during World War II due to rationing, and became popular in America during the second half of the twentieth century. According to the Food Network, carrot cake is listed as number five of the top fad foods of the 1970's.
Unlike many other vegetables carrots are more nutritious when eaten cooked rather than raw because cooked carrots contain more antioxidants compared to raw carrots.
Cake Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
- 5/8 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions for Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place all dry ingredients in processor or bleder and mix for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Add eggs and oil and mix thorougly.
- Add the nuts and blend to distribute.
- Bake in a greased 9 x 9 pan for approximately one hour. Test if cake is done by inserting knife. If there is no clinging batter, cake is done.
Frosting Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 6 tbsp or 3 ounces cream cheese (cream cheese should be room temperature)
- 3 heaping tbsp of confectioners sugar
Directions for Frosting:
- Blend butter, cheese and the vanilla for about 20 seconds until smooth and spreadable.
- Add the sugar and continue mixing until well blended.
- When the cake has cooled, gently smooth frosting over cake.
Options:
Add 1/2 cup of raisens to the batter.
Instead of grating carrots by hand, use approimately 7 to 8 prepared packaged carrots in a food processor.
Sources Cited:
foodtimeline.org
The Food Network
hungrymonster.com
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