Rüblitorte – Swiss Carrot Cake

This recipe is a Swiss classic, which actually comes from my aunt Bernadette, who is very Swiss. My mom has been making it our entire lives, so to me, it's my mom's recipe. But credit where credit is due. What makes this recipe really interesting is that is doesn't call for oil, butter, or any kind of unhealthy fat. The only fat in this recipe comes from egg yolks, and from ground almonds, which is one of the main ingredients. If Mãe had not told me that this cake contains almonds, I would never have known, so if you don't especially like almonds, don't let that be a reason not to try this cake.

There are three ways to serve this delectable delight. Plain with a bit of powdered sugar on top. Drizzled with lemon glaze. Or, like the traditional Swiss recipe calls for, drizzled with kirsch glaze. Kirsch is an alcohol spirit made of cherries. It does not, however, taste like cherries. To me, it tastes like brandy. So be careful with the kirsch, if you don't like alcohol in your desserts. Personally, I have never liked the taste of alcohol, perhaps especially not in my dessert. But I get how you might like it! My favorite is the lemon glaze, but it makes for a much stickier and gooey-er cake experience. This cake is plenty moist without any glaze, and the recipe already calls for lemon, so it has a distinct lemon flavor already, without the addition of glaze.

If you think of a combination of eggs, almonds, carrots, and whole wheat, you'd probably think that is a pretty healthy meal. It may be healthy, but it doesn't taste like it is trying to be. The amount of sugar is a perfect balance, which lets the taste of every other ingredient shine through. The texture is fluffy, nutty, and moist all at once. You can dress it down or dress it up. It really is the perfect carrot cake recipe. I highly encourage you to make it a regular part of your cake repertoire.