RECIPE - Carrot Cake with Coconut Oil and Gianduia (Bolo de cenoura com óleo de coco e gianduia)

When we were doing research for the previous post on Flavors of Brazil, about virgin coconut oil, we came across a recipe on a Brazilian food blog called Sabor Saudade for an amazing sounding carrot cake made with coconut oil and marbled with the Italian hazelnut-enriched chocolate known as gianduia. If you're familiar with the Italian chocolate spread called Nutella, you'll know what the taste of  is all about, though industrially-produced Nutella is far inferior to good quality  gianduia. The recipe on the blog was accompanied with mouth-watering photographs, a couple of which we've included on this post.

As discussed in the last post, if you're contemplating purchasing coconut oil, be sure to buy only virgin oil. We've even seen coconut oil labeled extra virgin, though we're not sure what differentiates garden-variety virgin from extra-virgin. In any case, do not buy processed or hydrogenated coconut oil - it is very high in saturated fats and trans fats.
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RECIPE - Carrot Cake with Coconut Oil and Gianduia (Bolo de cenoura com óleo de coco e gianduia)

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
3 medium whole eggs
2/3 cup (200 ml) unrefined white sugar
1/2 cup (250 ml) all-purpose white flour
1/3 cup (100 ml) virgin coconut oil
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 Tbsp gianduia paste
pinch of salt
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Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease a tube cake pan (or Bundt pan, reserve.

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients with the exception of the gianduia. Blend or process until you have a homogenous batter, thoroughly mixed. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan.

Spoon the gianduia paste onto the top of the cake batter, in spoonsful of about one Tbsp each. With a rubber spatula, fold the gianduia into the batter, but do not over-mix. You want pockets of melted gianduia in the cake when you serve it.

Place the cake pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan, then reverse the cake onto a cake platter. Let cool completely before serving.