In this recipe, a hankering for carrot cake led to some fortuitous improvisation. I wanted a husky, wholemeal texture and flavour but realised too late that I didn’t have wholemeal flour. Staring at me from the cupboard was a packet of ground hazelnuts, so I added them instead. The nutty richness paired so well with the natural sweetness of the carrots, deepening the flavour but also tenderising the crumb.

I’ve added the obligatory cream cheese icing here, but the cake is also delicious all on its own with just a simple dusting of icing sugar.