Peaches and Golden Sesame Cream Trifle

With Golden Sesame Ice Cream 

By: Jessica Delph 

Can it be true? The sun shines and it’s all just peachy. Over the long Labor Day weekend, the team at Noona’s got swept away Netflix binging on The Great British Baking Show and was inspired to make an ice cream trifle using Noona’s Golden Sesame Ice Cream.

Trifle is an easy DIY British-inspired nosh that you will want to keep in the recipe box.  The nature of a trifle will allow you to explore each flavor as they reveal themselves one by one, layer by layer for a pleasant sensory experience.  The layering is simple: fruit based jam, sponge cake laced in spirits, custard and whipped cream. It is traditionally 3 to 4 layers but my favorite part is that there is no one way of building your own trifle.

In today’s recipe, I’m so excited to share this frozen variation of the dessert when paired with Noona’s Golden Sesame ice cream as the custard filling. The nuttiness and richness of Noona’s Golden Sesame ice cream makes for a great transition from Summer to Fall. Try this out for your next get together with friends and family for an instant crowd pleaser. 

Ingredients 

Serving size 2

2-4 slices of Castella Sponge cake, if not available any sponge cake will do, making it from scratch are bonus points !

1 whole white peach, however any variety will work 

1 can of Makku Mango Makgeolli ( see pro tip below for substitutions₁)

1 tbsp of salted butter

For Peach Coulis 

1 tbsp of lemon juice 

1 dash of cinnamon powder 

A sprinkle of salt

1 tbsp of clover honey( or sweetener of choice)

1-2 scoops of Golden Sesame ice cream 

1 tbsp of water

Tools

Any glassware, or bowl in which you can fill with layers, keep in mind the bigger the glassware, the more layers you will need to add. Double up on recipe as needed.

To reference, I used a double proof espresso glass that holds 5.4 oz 

How To Do It 

The most difficult part of this recipe is the coulis, let us start there. A coulis ( pronounced COOL-EE) is quite frankly a fancy name for blitzed fruit or vegetable for a sauce, traditionally thinner in nature to a jam or preserve.

Cut the peach in half, put one half aside and the other chop into small even pieces. You can now relax, at this stage it all gets blended anyway. In a small saucepan put all coulis ingredients in as well as the cut peach( skin on). Bring to a simmer and let cook. Mix gently every few moments until you can just mash the fruit with the underside of a fork. This will take about 6-8 minutes ( the smaller you cut the peach the less time you will need). Turn off the stove and set to the side to cool. 

Next, with the other half of the peach you will want to remove the pit, and then  slice it lengthwise in the same direction the peach was halved. Put butter in a hot skillet or pan, when it starts to bubble on the surface place peach slices in a buttered pan. After, cook on each side for  2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool on a plate.

Then, the coulis is to be blended, a handheld blender is fine as well and blend until smooth. Now that we have all our layers ready we can start to build ! The first layer is going to be a thin layer of Golden Sesame ice cream, add that carefully by spoon. Next is our cake, for ease you can cut the cake into small squares and arrange a layer of cake . Then, crack open the can of Mango Makku and spoon just enough over to moisten our sponge( if you are wondering what to do with the rest of the Makku, bottoms up !). Layer a spoonful of coulis and then the buttered peach, you can decorate it in a festive manner, the final layer before we begin again will be Golden Sesame ice cream. Keep this pattern going until you reach the top( see pro tip₂). That is all, it is super simple and sweet. Why don’t you enjoy what is left of summer with this one, it will take you where the summer never ends.

You can add whipped cream, sprigs of mint, or remaining peaches on top for decoration. You can enjoy it immediately or store it in the freezer until show time. This recipe is completely plug and play with flavors and ingredients, you are bound to even make it your own once you get a taste. This layered bite sized pleasure will have you singing ! Geonbae. 

Pro Tip 

1. Makgeolli ( pronounced Mahk-oh-leee) is a Korean alcohol spirit. Makgeolli is as rich culturally as it is in your bowl. It is considered an unfiltered rice wine. Brewed traditionally with just water, rice and nuruk ( fermentation starter). Because of this Makgeolli tends to split, it is usually served in a bowl or something with a wider surface area so the sediments have room to disperse. It is milky, fizzy, and creamy oh my. Makku, is a popular brand of Makgeolli that is more accessible. With this, I recommend you shake before opening can, to make sure you get the full flavor experience.  If you cannot find any locally, you can use Peach schnapps instead of makku or no spirits at all ! It is up to you.

2. When layering, I recommend starting from the outside in. Simply line the outside of the cup with the ingredient first to make sure it looks great from the outside of the glass and then spoon the remaining ingredient inward, towards the middle of the glass.

Super Simple Ingredients for Trifle !

Strawberry Mochi “DIY”fuku With Toasted Rice Ice Cream

By: Jessica Delph

Can you think of a satisfying way to beat this summer heat? To top it off, with something sweet? Strawberry Daifuku is a popular spring dessert composed of plush mochi, juicy strawberries and sweet red bean paste. Let us carry this dessert into summer, shall we? When this magical treat is ready to eat, you’ll find there is no better duo than strawberry  that perfectly balances the toasted rice sweet cream. Our ice cream variation on the traditional strawberry mochi is super fun and easy to recreate. If you’re feeling ambitious, you’re welcome to make your mochi dough from scratch, but today we’re going to show you a way that’s much quicker and without the mess.

Ingredients 

Makes 1 serving 

3 to 4 small to medium sized strawberries ( the smaller the better )

1 pack of rice paper wrappers

1 to 2 scoops of Toasted Rice flavor ice cream 

1 tbsp of potato or corn starch

Tools 

A silicone mold, of any shape will do( as long as it can house the strawberry), which I used a 2”𝘅2”𝘅2’’ dimensions ice cube mold for this. ( review pro tip below ٖ )

Prep

To start, let us talk about strawberries.  To keep them at their best, looking lucious and radiant we have to prepare them carefully. Do not wash your strawberries until you are ready to use them.  To keep them at their prime, start by rinsing off your little strawberry gems thoroughly. I like to use the vinegar wash method. Fill a bowl with water and vinegar, with 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water ( 1:4), This means ⅓ cup of vinegar for every 1  ⅓ cup of water. You can adjust the amount as needed for how much strawberries you are cleaning ! Let strawberries sit in water for  15 minutes. Give one final thorough rinse off under running water and pat gently with a towel to dry. As pictured I do not hull or cut off strawberry stems as they are edible and pretty, however feel free to set them free if that is your preference.

How To Do It 

The assembly is foolproof ! With your silicone mold ready you will first start off with a layer of  “Toasted Rice” ice cream. If you do not have a silicone mold that is the same height of strawberry do not worry, see pro tip below. The kitchen is your safe space to create and enjoy !

Take a small spoon or baby spatula and layer mold with ice cream about ⅓ of mold height. This will be our foundation for the strawberry. You will then burrow your strawberry snuggly in the middle of ice cream. You want it fixed in the middle before putting it in the freezer for the 1st freezing treatment. Put strawberries in the freezer for up to 1 hour. ( Do not forget to place the pint of ice cream back in the freezer as well for the time being).

Take silicone mold out of the freezer, give the strawberry a light tap to make sure it is quite fixed. Scoop and layer remaining ice cream around the strawberry to fill in the gaps. Our mission is to encapsulate the strawberry in ice cream, and finally cover the top of the strawberry with ice cream. We do not want to see it at this point.  Place back in the freezer to set 1-3 hours or can be left overnight if serving next day. 

For this next step make sure you are ready to serve immediately( freezing the wrapper makes for a very rigid texture). Take two, I repeat two wrappers and dip to saturate in lukewarm water to make them pliable.  In this case because we are using it for a cold treat, it is ok to reconstitute it in lukewarm to warm water.  You will feel it soften as you work the wrapper. Do not worry. When the wrapper is soft it is VERY sticky, place it on a cutting board. Next, pop out your encapsulated strawberry and place in the middle of the wet rice wrapper. The last few steps will happen relatively fast since ice cream does the unthinkable outside of the freezer ( even I melt when it is too hot). You will fold the wrapper  around it and place it seam side down (review pro tip below₂).

After covering all strawberries, pour the cornstarch in a bowl and dip mochi for the dusty finish. I like to serve this up sliced in half. With a creamy matcha latte ( iced or hot we do not discriminate)  in one hand and strawberry mochi in the next. How do you like yours served up ?

Pro Tip

1. If you do not have a silicone mold, you can use a mini muffin tin lined with cling film, any shape will do as long as depth and height cover the small strawberries. 

2. When folding the rice wrapper around the strawberry, try to have the wrapper of similar geometric shape, so that when folded over it is more seamless and less overage. For example my mold happens to be in a square shape, before wetting the wrapper wrapper, With kitchen scissors, I cut the wrapper into the shape of a square. When you are doing so, be mindful you want the rice wrapper dimensions to be BIGGER than encapsulated strawberry so that it can cover it ( like a baby in a blanket).

Strawberry “DIY” Fuku with Toasted Rice Ice Cream

Message from Founder: #StopAsianHate

Hi Everyone,

Hannah, here. I’m the founder of Noona’s and a first generation Asian-American born and raised in NYC with parents and family members that came to this country for a better life.

We are a diverse team and as human beings, as Asian-Americans, as people of color, as a female-led company, we have all experienced and endured racism throughout our lives, not just when growing up. We have been watching closely the year-long build-up in anti-Asian hate crimes and are increasingly more and more heartbroken and feeling sick to the bone. Yes, sometimes it comes from a place that is not of malicious intention. No matter the intent, actions and words can hurt a lot, cause real damage and lead to death and violence. It’s not only the apparent hate but the pervasive fetishization and hypersexualization of Asian women. Since I can go on and on about that, I’m just going to leave that there.

I think it’s pretty clear, but Noona’s proudly celebrates the Asian-American story through flavor and delicious ice creams. This is the way I know how to fight racism and make a space and sense of belonging here. Before Noona’s, I didn’t feel like I truly belonged anywhere. I actually needed to create my path as so many of us do, so I did. I created a space that could bring me joy and bring others joy, and I built it up in a way that is now making splashes in the marketplace. It wasn't just me, though. It's thanks to everyone that purchases our products and recommends them to their audience. It's thanks to everyone that spreads awareness and takes a stand. It's thanks to everyone that values makers, growers and the faces behind the foods and products they eat, use and love.

It’s up to each and every one of us to spread awareness, take a stand and do what’s right. #stopasianhate #stopaapihate #asianlove #asianamerican #spreadlove #bekind

Much love,
Hannah
aka noona aka your ice cream noona

Noona's Shine a Light

The Noona Team is excited to announce a new ice cream collection: Noona’s Shine a Light. ✨✨✨

This new collection is an initiative that was created to shine on a light on the makers of the food we love, specifically women of color, and come together to use food as a catalyst for change. Diversity is delicious, and food comes from so many different voices and deeper matters.

In the following weeks, we’ll be revealing new ice cream flavors - each in collaboration with some of our favorite women in food. Below is a list of the 5 food makers we’re collaborating with:

🍦Denise @dgwoodard of @partakefoods 
🍦Kristen @kristenlkish of @arlogreyaustin 
🍦Essie @essieizspicy of @essiespice 
🍦Yvonna @yvonnakopaczwright of @lomarfarms 
🍦Katie @kaaatink of @receptionbar.nyc 

These flavors will be available for preorder soon enough! To support and raise awareness for organizations doing critical work to fight oppression, racism and injustice, a portion of proceeds will go to the following:

@mpjinstitute
@innocenceproject
@foodequality
@thelovelandfoundation
@aclu_nationwide

More deets and updates to come!

BLACK LIVES MATTER. A message from our founder.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. And Asian American empowerment was born from the foundations built by black activists. At Noona’s, we are getting to work, learning more about the historic connections between black Americans and Asian Americans. Noona’s was founded on the unwavering belief that there is a need for more room at the table for people of color. Yes, we focus on Asian American representation, but it is rooted from the belief that all humans are 100% equal. Racism and acts of hate that spread and kill black people’s lives cannot exist anywhere! 

America is burning, and it is the reality of the deep-rooted racism and injustices that are our nation’s most shameful existence. The murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers was brutal, senseless, and downright wrong as were the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and every single black person before them. There is no peace without justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the one that said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Action is needed, and this is not about showing support for a just day or two or a week or two. And this isn’t just about the shocking incidents captured on video or the news. It’s also about the implicit bias and quiet discrimination that happens every single day, even behind closed doors! 

It’s about the persistent inequality and disparities in all sectors of life. It’s about a shameful and destructive lack of progress on race and equality in a country that celebrates progress in so many other areas. 

Everyone has a part to play in making things better, and making ice cream is how our company channels personal emotion and core beliefs into something tangible, sharable and for good. We donated 100% of our profits from the past week between @thelovelandfoundation @aclu_nationwide @audrelordeproject @naacp — all doing critical work for protecting voting rights, healing our black communities and addressing the multiple issues impacting LGBTSTGNC People of Color communities. 

We’re working with our community of food makers and ice cream lovers, and will be sharing with you our collective acts of allyship through ice cream.

✊🏿✊🏽✊🏼✊✊🏻

With love,

Hannah Bae

Founder, Noona’s

Matcha Affogato Float with Toasted Rice ice cream

Try this delicious variation on the traditional vanilla-and-espresso dessert.

A warm, emerald green matcha meets our signature Toasted Rice ice cream for a classic flavor pairing yet fun new take on traditional affogato.

The trick to good matcha is to keep if from clumping, so be sure to add just a little bit of water at first, and blend to form a paste. Use a small metal whisk to ensure you have removed all clumps. For the best results make sure you source high-quality matcha that's bright green and fresh.

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons (about 5-6g) organic culinary matcha green tea powder

• 1/2 cup hot water (at 175ºF)

• 1-2 scoops Noona’s Toasted Rice ice cream

Instructions

1. Pour matcha in a small bowl. Add a few drops of hot water and whisk to form a paste. After all clumps are removed, gradually add the rest of the hot water, whisking until smooth.

2. Refrigerate the matcha tea if you’d like your matcha affogato chilled and not hot.

3. Scoop ice cream into a separate bowl for eating.

4. Pour matcha over ice cream and serve.

Ice cream care packages for our local healthcare heroes

Dear Friends

About a week and a half ago, we received a message from a nurse named Emily. She currently works at NYU Langone Health and treats patients fighting for their lives due to COVID-19. She expressed how much she loves Noona’s and wishes she could just take a break and enjoy our ice creams. After hearing her story and what it’s like to be a healthcare worker in this pandemic, there was no way I was going to end our conversation without showing my admiration and gratitude for her selflessness and bravery. Our team is now preparing ice cream care packages to be sent out for her and the NYU Langone Health family.

As a small ice cream company, we are a team of people who value hospitality and consider our customers as family. We don’t feel fulfilled unless we are making ice cream and providing joy for others, and as a business, it’s our job to find ways to support and care for our family and community during this time.

To everyone placing online orders — your orders are contributing to our ability to brighten the lives of nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers, and show them our appreciation. The shipping cost of your order will go to ice cream care packages to NYC hospitals. You can also make a separate donation by adding “Hospital Donation” to your order, or simply making a donation here.

If you’d like to organize an ice cream care package for a hospital in Brooklyn or Manhattan, please contact me at Hannah@noonasicecream.com. 

- Hannah

Noona's dalgona aka ppopgi (뽑기)

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I want to share our ppopgi (dalgona) recipe. Everyone (including yours truly) has been making the South Korean coffee drink known as Dalgona Coffee, so we thought it’s about time we shared our thoughts and explained what dalgona is.

Dalgona is also called ppopgi, an old-fashioned Korean honey candy and popular throwback street food. Imagine if American honeycomb and toffee had a baby. I clearly have a thing for ppopgi and love making it.

When my mom was in elementary school in Seoul, South Korea, there was a ppopgi vendor outside her school every day and the memory of it brings back a smile. With great excitement, my mother told me how she and her friends would gather around the vendor and watch him melt the sugar, mix it and add baking soda to make the candy. My mother went on to say that the vendor also had a few different patterns he’d press onto the candy before it completely hardened: a star, a fish, a bird. If you ate the candy around the design without cracking it, you would win a free ppopgi! My mother and I laughed the entire time she told me her childhood ppopgi story. It’s the inspiration behind Noona’s Turmeric Honeycomb ice cream aka Little Miss Sunshine.

At Noona’s, we make our own ppopgi and add it to our Turmeric Honeycomb flavor. Our ppopgi is not as sweet, a little denser and slightly darker in color than the American honeycomb you maybe used to. Ribbons of gooey ppopgi and turmeric’s sunshine yellow hue make this flavor an instant favorite. It’s truly a flavor that makes me smile, and I’m happy others feel the same way.

Surprisingly, ppopgi is really easy to make but it does require your undivided attention and patience!

Before getting started, check to see if you have a candy thermometer in your stash of kitchen tools. I’ll admit, I don’t use a candy thermometer to make ppopgi. I eye it, but to successfully do that takes time and experience. If it’s your first time making any temperature-sensitive recipe, I’d invest in a candy thermometer. If you don’t have one and really want to make some ppopgi now, expect to try more than one or two times to get it just right.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar

1/8 cup (40 grams) inverted sugar syrup or corn syrup

1/4 cup (2 oz) filtered water

2 tsp (9 grams) baking soda

one squeeze of honey (optional)

pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Line a 18x13x1 half sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Place the sugar, syrup, honey (optional), salt and water into a medium-size, solid-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Let the mixture sit for 30 seconds and then lift the pan up and move it around in circular motion a few times so that the sugar has integrated with the water. It’s best to not stir the actual mixture with your spoon. When you settle the pan back down, lower the temperature to the lowest heat possible. Continue to cook until the mixture turns into a golden sesame color and reaches "hard crack" stage, or 300°F (154°C) on a candy thermometer. It takes me anywhere from 20-28 minutes to get to this point! I set a timer, so I can do other things in the meantime. If it’s your first time, I’d pull up a chair with some ice cream and watch the mixture evolve.

   1. When the color of your honeycomb mixture starts to turn amber, measure out the baking soda and set aside. Have a wooden spoon or spatula ready for use.

   2. As soon as your ppopgi mixture reaches the right temperature or color, pour the baking soda in. With your wooden spoon, quickly whisk to combine evenly; the mixture will begin to foam up like a mini volcano! Remove the saucepan from the heat and spread across the prepared pan in an even layer. Let cool.

   3. Immediately place your saucepan in the sink under hot water, so you don’t have to spend time scrubbing or soaking your pan for days. If you place your pan under hot water right after use, the baking soda residue will lift the hardened candy off of the pan without a single scrub. If you need to scrub anything off of a pan, a little bit of baking soda helps to lift up the stains.

   4. Cool for at least 15 minutes, then pierce the ppopgi all over with a small knife (one that you’d use to cut an apple) to break into pieces.

   5. Store any uneaten ppopgi in an airtight container or ziplock bag, otherwise it will absorb moisture from the air and get sticky and even soften/melt. Enjoy!
      
      Note: Ppopgi will keep for 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container. Do not store in refrigerator. Instead store in freezer to keep for 1 year or even longer.

Jackie's banana bread

The simple act of making a sweet treat can be therapeutic and brings smiles to the table. It can also provide a sense of belonging. I feel great calm when making ice cream or other sweet treats, and I think it’s because I like seeing different ingredients blend together, becoming one. I love seeing everything in one big pot, living harmoniously with one another.

Today, I’m turning inward and thinking about the things that have shaped me, and us, through the years: financial burden, resilience, trauma, community, depression, hopefulness, isolation, uncertainty and love. There are so many ways to understand and support one another.

Last night, I made my favorite banana bread with a recipe that I’ve cherished for years. It’s a family recipe that Jackie (my mother-in-law) left behind. She passed away before I had the chance to meet her, and it’s been through my husband’s foods and her recipes that I have gotten to know the amazing woman she was. In joyous celebration, I hope her banana bread flavors your day and creates a sweet moment.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cup AP flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of nutmeg

1 large egg

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup whole milk

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup butter

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan that is at least 3 inches tall.

1. In small bowl, mash bananas with vanilla extract and nutmeg and fold in lemon zest and milk. Set aside.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

3. In larger bowl, beat sugar, softened room temperature butter and egg until smooth and lightly aerated. Then fold in banana mixture.

4. Slowly fold in mixed dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

5. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes, or until light pumpkin color, and firm on top.

A fun dessert pairing

Warm up a slice of banana bread in a bowl, add a couple scoops of Noona’s Black Sesame (dairy or vegan) and top off with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with whatever you’d like — when we have extra bananas, we like to caramelize them for another layer of deliciousness!

Noona’s breakfast cake (is a gluten-free carrot cake)

There are so many changes that are happening minute by minute, and it feels a bit strange and difficult for me to share and post new food ideas or any recipes. I feel this way given that it’s been hard on people to get their hands on certain items. Those items are different for everyone for a multitude of reasons. For me, I can still find TP (toilet paper) but can’t seem to get my hands on any all-purpose flour, of any brand or type. Even online stores and services that deliver to me are sold out.

As someone who cannot go a day without having a sweet treat, I decided to look and see what flours I do have. I found a small amount of two of my favorite gluten-free flours in my freezer: almond and buckwheat. I don’t use these flours often but find them useful for certain recipes, so I keep them in my freezer to maintain a certain level of freshness and quality.

Because of this, every baked good I make will be gluten-free during this time. The way I bake is also changing as I’m reducing my spendings. I’ve been making easy and comforting favorites but in SMALL batches, since it’s just me and my husband. Instead of using 8 or 9 inch round pans I’ve been turning my cakes into baby loaves with a tiny pan we use to make brioche and pate.

This breakfast cake is a carrot cake, but I’m now calling it “breakfast cake” because I made it in a small 3x8 pan since who knows when a certain ingredient will become unavailable to us. Making this cake is a new favorite of mine, and I prefer it over the decadent American original. I like a little sugar in the morning and prefer to get it from a tastefully sweet treat instead of adding sugar to my espresso or tea, so this cake has been a real comfort to our mornings.

You can make this recipe in a round pan if you’d like. Do what works for you. Make cupcakes. Make tiers. Experiment with what you do have. I understand not everyone has tiny pans.

As mentioned, this recipe is different from the rich American original. It is far more reminiscent of an everyday rustic Italian treat. It’s also free of dairy and gluten, and made with almond flour and buckwheat flour. Like many of my favorite treats — it may not be visually beautiful to look at and what people call “instagrammable” but it is absolutely delightful to eat.

noona’s breakfast cake

Note: To make this recipe in a 9-inch pan, just double the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 6-8

2 medium carrots (approx. 125-150g/1 cup)

20 grams dried fruit of your choice (optional) — I had some dried cranberries in my pantry, so I used those.

1 oz amaro or any liquor (optional) — I used an amaro called Cardamaro.

75 grams sugar

2 oz regular olive oil plus some for greasing

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 extra large egg

125 grams (1 cup) almond flour — this recipe works with 1:1 substitute with any gluten-free flour or regular AP flour, so use whatever flour you have :)

20 grams (1/8 cup) buckwheat flour (optional) — I just love buckwheat. You can do all almond flour with 145 grams instead of 125 grams.

1/4 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest

a pinch of your favorite warm spices — I added a pinch of nutmeg and cardamom

METHOD

I used a 3x8-inch loaf pan. You can use a round cake tin pan to make this recipe. If you’re using a 9 inch round pan, simply double this recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the base of your pan with re-usable non-stick silicone liner or baking parchment and grease the sides with olive oil.

2. Grate the carrots in a processor (for ease) or with a coarse grater, then sit aside in a bowl.

3. Put the dried fruits in a small saucepan with your choice of liquor, bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Whisk the sugar and oil - I used a spatula but would use my freestanding mixer for a bigger batch. Whisk until creamily and airily mixed.

5. Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs and when well whisked, fold in the flours, spices, grated carrots, dried fruits (if used and with any liquid that clings to them) and, finally, the lemon zest.

6. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. The batter will be very shallow in the pan if using a round cake pan instead of a loaf pan.

7. Put it into the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the cake tester comes out slightly sticky but more or less clean.

8. Remove from the oven and let the cake sit in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before taking it out and leaving it on the rack to cool.

9. If serving the cake for a party or just because you want to have some fun with it, remove the cake to a plate to serve; add scoops of Noona’s Turmeric Honeycomb or Noona’s Vegan Rose Ginger (for keeping it dairy-free) on top of the cake or in a bowl to spoon alongside.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

TO MAKE AHEAD: The cake can be baked up to 3-4 days ahead. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and store in airtight container in a cool place. Will keep for total of 6-7 days.

TO FREEZE: The cake can be frozen, carefully wrapped for up to 4 months. Defrost at room temperature when ready to eat. Do not refreeze, please.