Prepare the batter: mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in one bowl. In another bowl, beat the sugar and oil together until well combined. Continue beating, adding the eggs one at a time. Stir in a pinch of vanilla sugar, then combine the wet and dry ingredients. Finally, fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts. Keep the batter fairly loose — it should not be too thick. Substitute half the carrots with an equal amount of grated pumpkin, if you prefer.
Grease two loaf pans with fat and sprinkle them with breadcrumbs. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for about 40 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
The cake retains moisture for a long time, and the carrots give it a dark, gingerbread-like color. Adding pumpkin will lighten the hue, making the cake closer in color to a traditional pound cake.
For the recipe, you will need: 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves or allspice, 1.5 cups of sugar, 1.5 cups of vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 4 cups of finely grated carrots (or 2 cups grated carrots mixed with 2 cups grated pumpkin), and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
