Raspberry Almond Carob Cake

Maybe it's the hot carob milk that I drank as a kid whenever I came in from playing in the snow, but cold weather still makes my thoughts turn to carob. I know that lots of people aren't fans of carob like I am, but I think that often this is due to a big mistake - thinking of carob as a (lousy) substitute for chocolate. I'm definitely a chocolate lover, but I think that carob has a warm, earthy, mildly sweet flavor that's delicious in its own right. If you want to give carob a try, I recommend this cake (which, incidentally, is vegan): 2 1/2 C flour 1 C carob powder 1 1/2 C sugar 2 t baking soda 1 t salt 2 C water 3/4 C oil 2 t vinegar 1 t vanilla 1 t almond extract (optional) Oil a 9" x 13" cake pan (or two rounds), and dust lightly with carob powder or flour. Blend the sugar and liquids. Sift and combine the remaining dry ingredients. Mix the liquid and dry ingredients well. Pour into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (start with 30 minutes, for rounds), or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with warm raspberry preserves thinned with a little water, and add whipped cream or nondairy whipped topping if you like. Creative Commons image, some rights reserved, by Dulcedo Blog on Flickr.