Recipe By Domenica Marchetti

I suppose you could all this an Italian Carrot Cake! You get the benefits of both the olive oil and the carrots.

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil (not extra-virgin), plus more to coat the pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup finely ground cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 large)
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square or round baking pan with oil and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the ½ cup oil, sugar, eggs, lemon and orange zest, and Marsala until well blended (the sugar will not all dissolve).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sea salt, and nutmeg. Pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture, whisking all the while to avoid lumps. Using a silicon spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the shredded carrots. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan.

3. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and set it on the rack to cool to room temperature. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar right before serving.