Modest carrot cake

with snobbish ginger confit, poetic medjool dates, and sophisticated wild flower honey

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup good-quality wildflower honey

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups freshly grated carrots (about 8 carrots)

1/2 cup chopped California dates

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and honey until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the milk and orange juice.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the carrots, dates, ginger, and chocolate until just combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and rap the pan a few times against the counter to knock out any air bubbles. Bake until the crust is a light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Quantity: 6 to 8 servings