Torta de Cenoura (Carrot Citrus Swiss Roll)

Hi All!

I hope everyone has had a great week.  I’ve been busy and away at an annual Summer Meeting for work.  I have two recipes I’ll be catching up on this weekend, but finally, here is the latest recipe, that I just love.

“Torta de Cenoura,” or “Carrot Swiss Roll,” is a recipe courtesy of my Grandmother, Teodora.  As with many of the desserts and treats that I’ve made throughout this project, this one was usually served for special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, and weddings.  I especially love this one because of the soft texture and zesty, fresh taste that the bit of orange adds.  This is a relatively easy recipe to make and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Have a great week!

Yields: 10-12 slices

Ingredients:

1 cup of carrot puree, about four carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs
zest from 1 orange

Note: This roll is different than most, because there is no filling. Once rolled, you don’t have to unroll it, which makes it easier.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 1-inch deep baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly grease with cooking spray and dust with flour.

2) Peel carrots, chop in half, and place in a large pot filled with water.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium. Allow to simmer until carrots are soft and tender, 10-12 minutes. Using a food processor, pulse carrots until they form a puree and no clumps remain.  Pour into a large bowl and set aside.

3) In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and set aside.

4) Add eggs to carrot puree and beat with a mixer or whisk.  Add in dry ingredients and orange zest, and beat or mix together until batter is creamy and smooth.

5) Pour batter onto the prepared pan. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter evenly until it almost reaches the edges.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, but keep a close eye on it that it doesn’t bake too long or the sponge will crack once you begin rolling.

6) On your working table, lay out a piece of parchment paper, and dust with sugar.  Gently flip the cake onto it, and carefully peel off the parchment paper.  Slowly, roll the cake up while it’s still hot.  Dust with more sugar, if desired.