Groaning Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter:

• 3 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tps salt
• Spice mix: 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves, 1 tsp ground fennel seeds, 1 tsp ground fenugreek)
• ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp rum (optional)
• ⅓ cup whole milk yogurt
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ½ cup grated apple (loose, not packed in)
• ½ cup grated carrot (loose, not packed in)
• ½ cup grated zucchini (loose, not packed in)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the cream cheese icing:

• 1 x 8 oz package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spice mix, and walnuts (if using).
2. 2
   Put the butter in a medium metal bowl and place it in the hot oven until it begins to melt a bit. Remove from the oven. Add the honey and molasses and whisk until blended. Add the rum and mix well, until heavy and silky.
3. 3
   In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the yoghurt, milk, grated apple, grated carrot, grated zucchini, and coconut. Add this to the honey-butter mixture and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently, until the batter is homogeneous. Be careful not to overmix.
4. 4
   Pour into an oiled and floured 10-inch springform cake pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes in a 350F oven. The cake is done when the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cake should be cooled for about 10 minutes in the pan, and then removed from the pan to continue cooling on a rack.
5. 5
   To make the frosting, blend the room temperature cream cheese and maple syrup, using a hand blender or electric mixer. Refrigerate until cake has cooled. Once the cake has cooled, butter the frosting on top of the cake. Slice and serve.
6. 6
   This cake can be made ahead and wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum and kept for 1 to 2 days at room temperature. The cream cheese icing should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.