Bolo de Cenoura (Brazilian Carrot Cake) with Cocoa Glaze

📝 Ingredients

• 300 g carrots (about 3 carrots)
• 3 eggs
• 80 ml sunflower oil
• 200 g caster sugar (150 g for the cake, 50 g for the glaze)
• 220 g plain flour
• 1 sachet baking powder (11 g)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 80 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 15 g unsalted butter

🍴 Utensils

• Blender
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Square cake tin, about 22 cm
• Small saucepan
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a square tin of about 22 cm with baking paper. Peel the carrots and cut them into rounds about 1 cm thick to make the blender's job easier.
2. Put the carrots, eggs, oil and 150 g sugar in the blender. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes, until you have a perfectly smooth orange cream with no pieces of carrot left: this is what gives the bolo its fine, even crumb.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour the carrot cream into the centre and whisk just until no dry flour remains. Don't overwork the batter, or the cake will be dense and rubbery.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, without opening the oven door for the first 25 minutes. The cake is done when it's golden and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. During the last few minutes of baking, make the glaze: put the cocoa, 50 g sugar, milk and butter in the small saucepan. Whisk over a medium heat until boiling, then let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking all the time.
6. Take the glaze off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon, like a thick chocolate sauce. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick it about twenty times with a fork while hot, then immediately pour over the hot glaze and spread it with a spatula.
7. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes: the glaze partly soaks into the crumb and forms a thin, glossy layer on top. Then cut into 8 squares directly in the tin.