Carrot Bread

Recipe from Smith & Hawkins Gardeners’ Community Cookbook

by Victoria Wise

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make this loaf to serve with a vegetable or bean soup. It has a nice crumb and just a smidgeon of sweetness with the carrots, honey and orange juice.   

1 package active dry yeast

½ cup fresh orange juice, warmed

1 Tablespoon peanut oil or other vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for kneading

2 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, well beaten

1 cup grated carrot

2 cups wheat germ

Sprinkle the yeast over the warmed orange juice in a large bowl.  Let it rest until bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Lightly grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan.

Add the oil, 1 cup flour, honey, cardamom, and salt and beat until smooth.  Add the eggs, carrot, and wheat germ and beat to a smooth but still we dough.

Flour a board or counter and your hands.  Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until it gathers easily into a non-sticky ball.  (Add flour as needed.) Transfer the dough to the loaf pan and pat to fill the pan in a loaf shape.  Cover and set aside in a warm place until risen to the top of the pan, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 200F.

Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Increase the oven heat to 250F and continue baking for 15 minutes more.  Increase the oven heat once again to 350F, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Remove the loaf from the pan.  Place the loaf back on the rack to cool.  Slice and serve.  Keep at room temperature, wrapped, for up to 2 days.