Carob Brownies/Cake

I have a bunch of buttermilk to use up.  And I wanted to do some baking with Rebecca yesterday.  So I did a quick flip through Nourishing Traditions and found a recipe for carob brownies that sounded good.  I did not plan ahead, so I didn't soak this batch.  And I used some cocoa instead of all carob.  But they still turned out great!  I would not call these brownies, though.  Definitely more like cake.  Very moist.  Only mildly sweet.  Maybe sometime I'll try using this for a layer cake.  It will be nice to have an option for a soaked, whole wheat chocolate cake.

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

Carob Brownies

3 cups freshly ground flour (I used wheat...right out of the grain mill:)
2 cups buttermilk, kefir or yogurt
3/4 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups rapadura/sucanat
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. chocolate extract (I used a little less than this since I used some cocoa)
1 tsp. sea salt
3/4 cups carob powder (I used a little less than 1/2 cup cocoa and a little more than 1/4 cup carob)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped crispy pecans (optional) (I didn't add any nuts)

Soak flour with buttermilk, yogurt or kefir for 12 to 24 hours in a warm place.  Cream butter with sugar.  Add eggs, extracts, salt, carob powder and baking powder.  Blend in soaked flour.  Fold in nuts.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Cut into squares.