Sunday 22 April 2012

Lush Carrot Cake.





Now this is a definite, continual joy to consume in very large amounts, and the very first proper cake-sized cake I baked. Normally I just bake it plain without any dried fruits or nuts and just take in the moist heaven of the sponge and cream cheese topping. Also normally I bake it as a single layer 9" cake (As in the last photo) but for today's bake I'm whacking it into two 7" tins, adding walnut pieces and filling as well as topping with the cream cheese lushness Mmmmmmm....

Ingredients:

  • 2 Medium free range eggs
  • 200g Golden caster sugar
  • 50g Light muscovado sugar
  • 100ml Sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 250g grated carrot
  • 125g pineapple
  • 300g plain flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Ground ginger
  • 100g Walnut pieces, chopped or whole (Optional)
  • 50g Sultanas (Optional)
Cream cheese icing:
  • 200g Soft cheese
  • 50g Unsalted butter (Room temp)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 200g Icing Sugar
Preparation:
  • Preheat the oven to 180c
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, caster sugar and muscovado sugar.
  • Add the oil and vanilla extract and mix.
  • Blitz the pineapple in a processor to small pieces. I do this at the same time as grating the carrots, just swapping over the blade to grater attachment.
  • Add the carrot and pineapple to the bowl and mix.
  • Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and spices into a bowl and add slowly whilst just mixing until fully incorporated.
  • Put aside as many walnuts as you want to decorate the top, then chop up the walnuts for the sponges into small bits.
  • Stir in the chopped walnuts and sultanas.
  • Prep your baking tin or tins. Grease and line or use cake release spray.
  • Bake for about 45mins. The sponge should just be starting to come away from the tin edge. 
  • Check it's baked with a cake tester or cocktail stick, it should come out fairly clean from the centres.
  • Cool in the tins for 15 mins, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • For the icing...
  • Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and beat for a couple of mins.
  • Keep beating and add the vanilla.
  • Then sift the icing sugar and add about a third at a time until each amount is well mixed in.
  • Eat the entire contents of the bowl. Spread the cream cheese mix as a filling and topping. You might want to chill the icing for 5 mins to make it behave, especially if you have a domed (That's domed, not doomed!) cake. 
  • Eat :) 










Here's a few tunes from people that have nothing to do whatsoever with carrot (tops)



La Roux - In For The Kill




Part-time red-head is good enough for me to include some Haley Williams! :D Paramore - Misery Business




Tim Minchin - Taboo :)





I had no idea this existed! - The Carrot Song  Altogether now - "Carrots wear green, furry hats........." YeeeeeeeeHaarrrrrr!







 Finally, for a lush cake, a lush song from Lush - Ladykillers.



Stay carroty people, stay carroty.

4 comments:

  1. Omg that topping looks immense! I actually love the carrot song!

    Nom! X

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fantastic!!! will give this one a go :o)

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  3. Ooooo that icing looks lush! I love carrot cake...but have never heard the carrot song :-)

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  4. Looks goood - love the icing - mmmm. Carrot cake is my hubby's favourite so I guess I ought to actually make it!

    ReplyDelete