Amsterdam is a beautiful city, it has a trashy side, but when you live in the city you never end up going there. It is the same everywhere, each time we go to London we never spend time in the center. Emanuele lived there for many years, so we prefer local hang outs. It is more fun and more authentic.
Amsterdam is beautiful all the time but in the last few days is magnificent. We have been blessed by a heat wave from Africa which is making the whole of Europe to look like a tropical continent. Today Amsterdam reached 33 Degree Celsius (92 F), and tomorrow is forecasted to reach 36 C (97 F). For some of you this may be the norm, but here it is not for sure. We are pretty happy when the temperature is 25 C (77 F), which is the average of the season. The good thing about this extraordinary weather is that there is true celebration of the sun. People are out everywhere and everyone is smiling. Each time we travel to Italy Emanuele is at his happiest, however we noticed how the sun is, in a way, taken a bit for granted, whereas here is a true blessing 
Tonight we are heading to an old wind mill turned into a micro-brewery, the beer is excellent and the setting is incredible. If you visit Amsterdam you should pay a visit to this place: brouwerijhetij
Tomorrow since the weather is going to be so incredible the plan is to head down to the sea and enjoy the sun, we are not planning to cook much in the next few days. Emanuele has a few ideas for the day. I like to listen to him, he never stops talking at times. He makes me laugh a lot.
The recipe for today is a classic: Carrot cake. We call this: Carroty Carrot cake, because we use more carrot than usual and the frosting is also made with carrots. It is to die for…if you like carrots Wherever you are, have a fantastic weekend!!!
Ingredients
- For the cake: Flour: 170 g (6 oz)
- Baking powder: 2 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Bicarbonate of soda: 1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
- Grated nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
- Caster sugar: 180 g (6.35 oz)
- Grated carrot: 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Raisin: 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Orange zest: 1
- Sunflower oil: 180 ml (6.1 fl oz)
- For the topping: Grated carrot: 50 g (1.75 oz)
- Cream cheese (Philadelphia): 350 g (12.35 oz)
- Icing sugar: 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Lemon zest: 1
Method
- For the cake: Pre-heat an oven to 180 C (350 F)
- In a large bowl, lightly mix oil, sugar and eggs with a wooden spoon
- Add grated carrot, raisins, orange zest and lightly mix again
- Mix the flour, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and then sift into the bowl and lightly mix again until combined
- Prepare a 18-cm (7 inches) cake tin by lining the base with baking paper or dust with butter and flour)
- Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45 mins (test by using a toothpick, if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it's wet, add more baking time)
- Let the cake cool in a wire rack
- For the topping: Use a blender, mix the grated carrot, icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest until well-blended (about 5 mins)
- Finishing the dish: Cut along the cake into halves, spread evenly 1/3 of the prepared topping onto one half and put the other half on top. After that, use the remaining topping cream to cover the whole cake (also can cover only the top)
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