THE Carrot Loaf

Ever since deciding to start my own blog, I knew that I wanted this to be my first post.
This loaf...I hold...very close to my heart. As I said to my friend Erin Foy today - it means a lot to me, this loaf.
As advertised in the book, this is a gluten free loaf, but it is actually also dairy free! And... almost sinfully delicious (except it's not sinful - what's a little sugar anyway?)
It can be served as a morning or afternoon tea treat, or a delicious dessert. 
This recipe, I took from what I would say is one of my favourite baking books - A Treasury of New Zealand Baking by Lauraine Jacobs. I strongly suggest googling this title and purchasing A.S.A.P, or alternatively purchase it here - http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Treasury-of-New-Zealand-Baking-Lauraine-Jacobs-Edited-by-Aaron-McLean-Photographs-by/9781869792640 
If you're to have one baking book in life, THIS is the one.
This book is so fabulous that there isn't one recipe inside that I wouldn't try. Those Kiwi's sure do know what they're talking about!

Carrot Loaf

(makes a 1kg loaf - around 10 slices)

Ingredients

150g caster sugar
150g brown sugar
150g soya oil
3 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
100g white rice flour
100g brown rice flour 
10g tapioca flour (aka: arrowroot)
1/2 tsp xantham gum (can be purchased from health food stores)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinammon
1 tsp ground cardamom 
150g grated carrot (around 2-3 medium carrots)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (150 degrees fan-bake). Grease a large loaf tin with butter (I like to use canola oil cooking spray to keep this recipe dairy free) and dust it with flour (I use white or brown rice flour for this).
2. Place the two sugars in a large mixing bowl, together with the soya oil, eggs and lemon zest. Whisk together well, then gently with a spatula, fold all the remaining dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the grated carrot until well combined.
3. Pour into the prepared loaf tin. 
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (this varied depending on your oven, I suggest you check the cake from about 55 minutes).
5. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in tin, then remove to a cooling rack to cook completely. 
6. When cool, slice and serve! Tastes delicious all on its own, a cup of tea doesn't hurt. 
7.  Store in an airtight container. This loaf is very moist and will last well, it can also be frozen - I think it's a good idea to wrap slices individually and freeze them for future snacking.