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Isabel Fairbairns's (Gangy's) Carrot Cake

Vicky Schankula brought a carrot cake to Cornbread Supper on June 18. This proper British cake, from Vicky's mother's collection, turns all the gooey American notions about carrot cake on their icing-covered heads. It was a toasty brown circle, a single layer, looking chewy and dense, looking a lot like a carrot cake might look if it were flourless.

Sadly, we have no photo. No, wait! That's a good thing, because it means Vicky will need to bring this cake to Cornbread Supper again.

Vicky's—or Isabel Fairbairns's, or Gangy's—carrot cake astounded all who tasted it, and left them hoping for more—or at least for the recipe. Vicky's son, David Schankula, kindly supplied the recipe, and we have Vicky's permission to share it here.

GANGY’S CARROT CAKE

8 ounces of light brown sugar
6 ounces of vegetable oil
2 eggs
4 ounces of whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
5 ounces of coarsely grated carrots
2 ounces of chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Line round cake pan with greased paper.
• Put sugar in mixing bowl
• Using electric mixer, gradually whisk in the oil, then the eggs one at a time
• Mix together flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
• Stir dry ingredients into the egg mixtures.
• Add carrots and walnuts.
• Beat all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. 
• Pour into cake tin. 
• Place in center of oven. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. 
• Then at 300° for 45 – 50 minutes. 
• Remove from oven. Leave in the cake tin for 3 hours, then turn out onto a wire rack. 
• Peel off the paper. Leave to cool.
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