Carob cake: delicious, GF, healthy and very Mediterranean

Posted by

Eleonora Nai

January 20, 2025

On January 20, 2025

Preparation: 10 mins

Baking: 25 mins

Difficulty: easy

Yields: 8 portions

Cost: medium

If you want to go straight to the recipe click here

Introduction to Carob Cake

I invited Eleonora Nai of Atelier Mal’Erba to share with us her beautiful recipe for Carob Cake, the result of constant research and a willingness to prioritize noble and functional ingredients, such as the main ingredient, carob.

Carob has always been part of the Mediterranean scene, but to see it used as an ingredient today is more unique than rare. That’s why it was love at first sight for me, who loves foods that are part of popular culture and tradition, too often replaced by other varieties that may be a little more convincing in terms of taste, but definitely have an impact on the environment: as in the case of cocoa.

Carob is undoubtedly an “eco-friendly” ingredient: as I mentioned in the recipe for carob bread, the plant grows luxuriantly throughout the Mediterranean basin and is well adapted to dry, arid and infertile soils, eliminating the need for intensive irrigation and fertilization.
But I would be doing a serious injustice if I did not also mention its health benefits:

it is very rich in calcium;
loaded with polyphenolic compounds and fiber;
naturally gluten-free
and does not contain oxalates or caffein.

And what about hazelnuts? Undoubtedly one of the tastiest of all nuts, they are:

rich in healthy fats;
loaded with proteins;
very good source of essential minerals like manganese and copper;
packed with fiber and vitamins, especially vitamin E and B–group vitamins.

Having demonstrated that it is healthy for us and the planet, I would like to point out that the recipe for Carob Cake is not only delicious and 100% local, it is also gluten-free and contains no added sugars or fats.

However, leaving aside for a moment what I have said so far about its health benefits, for me, the aroma released during the baking step and the announcement of the pleasant sensory experience to come would be enough to make me want to do it.

Enjoy your gluten-free Carob Cake and good revolution to all.

Başak

What we need:

1 manual or electric whisk
1 mold with a diameter of 24cm

Ingredients for a delicious carob cake

200g (1,6 cup) of carob flour
150g (1,5 cup) of hazelnut flour
5 eggs
230-250ml (1 cup) of plant-based milk or regular milk
edible flowers (optional)

IF YOU WANT THE SEASONAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CALENDAR

Directions for an easy Carob Cake

The title speaks for itself: this recipe is really very easy to make.

Step 1. Beat the whole eggs well with the hazelnut flour and half of the carob flour.

Step 2. Meanwhile, turn on the oven and preheat to 130°C (265 F).

Step 3. Add 200g of plant milk (or milk) and the rest of the carob flour to the eggs.

Step 4. If the batter is too thick, add the rest of the milk.

Step 5. Bake in a preheated static oven at 130 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes (do the toothpick test). Wait until completely cool before removing.

Step 6. Serve with edible flowers, if desired.

The CHEf

After 15 years in the historical center of Cuneo (a bakery of French origin with pastries and galettes), the need to “slow down” matured, as well as the need to improve in sustainability, which had always been pursued, but to a lesser extent. Hence, in 2022, the move to Caraglio, a small town in the Grana Valley, and a greater collaboration with other small producers. Atelier Mal’Erba is born!
But why this name? Because one of the objectives was the valorization of the medicinal and wild herbs in which the valley is rich! As well as shortening the supply chain and valorizing forgotten and “poor” ingredients. Today Atelier Mal’Erba is a laboratory with direct and contract sales, catering for individuals and events. It is a place of experimentation, research and exchange of ideas.
To regain the balance with nature and its rhythms, to seize and recognize its spontaneous gifts, to explore the places where one lives, to appreciate the natural and cultural biodiversity: this is our philosophy!