VENETIAN CARROT CAKE...SERVED WITH A PERFECT CAPPUCCINO DOPPIO CAFE!!!

Ingredients
Carrot cake:
1/2 cup regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, plus more for oiling pan
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup rum
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
Mascarpone cream, optional:
1 cup mascarpone
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons rum
1 (9-inch) springform or other round cake tin
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the base of the springform pan with a nonstick silicone liner or baking parchment. Grease the sides with olive oil. Add the pine nuts to a small dry pan and toast them over low heat.

Grate the carrots in a food processor or with a coarse grater, and put them on a double layer of kitchen towels. Wrap the towels around the carrots to soak up the excess liquid.

Put the sultanas in a small saucepan with the rum, and bring to the boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Whisk the sugar and 1/2 cup of oil in a stand mixer or by hand, until creamily and airily mixed together.

Whisk in the vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Fold in the almond meal/flour, nutmeg, grated carrots, dried apricots (and any rum that clings to them) and finally the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. The batter will be very shallow in the tin.

Sprinkle with the pine nuts and bake until the top is risen and golden and a cake tester comes out sticky but otherwise more or less clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit on a rack for 10 minutes before removing the sides. Let cool until ready to serve. Transfer the cake to a serving platter.

Combine the mascarpone, confectioners' sugar and rum in a small bowl. Slice the cake and serve with the mascarpone cream.

Make Ahead Note:

The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in airtight container in a cool place. Will keep for a total of 5 to 6 days.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/venetian-carrot-cake-recipe.html?oc=linkback