Carob Cake Bars with Walnuts

At the beginning of October we very lucky to spend a few days on Crete, visit our friends, making excursions and enjoying the warm weather.

Visiting the animal farm of our friend Giorgios and her daughter Konstantina and helping them on beekeeping I noticed some wonderful carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the carob tree, St John’s-bread or locust bean) full of hanging pods. As I told them my children liked to chew them and telling them that I knew they can be used for cookies and cakes, Giorgios did not think twice and he collected some for us.

Finally a few days later the brown pods had been processed to brown carob powder. The steps: wash, boil, remove the seeds, chop, dry, toast and mill.

Then I had time to create this new recipe and offer some of the bars to our friends. They really stunned about the taste and enjoyed them very much, but they thought I would have bought the four. They were more than surprised I told them that the cakes are product of  THEIR carobs pods from the farm!

We brought the rest of the flour home and I already now I will use it for new recipes.

You need:

Dry ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons carob powder, toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cardamom pod, seeds powdered with mortar (or 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder)

Wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetal oil
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/4 milk
• 1/2 cup nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons carob powder, toasted
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
• halved walnuts for decoration

Procedure:

1. In a big bowl combine all dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In mixing bowl combine all wet ingredients.
3. Add sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Blend in vanilla and nuts.
5. Pour batter into oiled 20 cm/8 inch square pan (or round 26 cm/10 inch mold). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool down.
6. Mix all ingredients for the glaze adding the yogurt stepwise until you reach the desired consistency. Glaze the cake and place in the refrigerator until set and cut into 1 inch squares (or as desired).
7. If you like decorate with halved walnuts.