In the lead up to Easter this year I found myself idling my mornings away by watching a lot more daytime TV than I normally would or is probably healthy. This is largely due to the fact that we ere anchored to home this year and not galavanting across the countryside taking advantage of all the public holidays. Ho hum.
Anyway, one particular morning I was enjoying some quality time with my hubby, sipping a lovely warming cup of tea and looking at, but not really watching, the TV. A segment came on that jokingly suggested i
So here we are, curled up on the couch watching the segment and we see that the end result is a monstrous cake, four layers all jam packed with thick luxurious cream cheese frosting. The slice they cut could barely stand up it was so big, totally over indulgent - just the way we like it in this house. I was enjoying the segment wrap up and thinking to myself - gee I haven't made carrot cake in ages, when my darling turns to me and says, "Why don't you ever make me yummy things like that?? Instead of all those boring biscuits you keep making and writing about". Wow, he made my day. I can't believe he actually reads my blog! Ha Ha Ha
Luckily he mentioned my blog instead of just referring to my biscuits as boring and in doing so earn't himself his very own batch of my 'See In The Dark Carrot Cakes'. This recipe is packed full of carrots, pecans and pineapple and doesn't have any of those yucky plumped up sultanas you sometimes find hidden in this gorgeous vegie delight. Its very simple to make, turns out perfectly every time and the cream cheese frosting is the perfect consistency for piping to make your cakes look like store bought treats.
Because our household is so health conscious, you will notice that I tend to make things in mini. I find making cupcakes in stead of large cakes is much better for a couple of reasons: 1. you can freeze them and take our perfect morning tea portion sizes when ever you want; 2. its very easy to give away half a batch of cupcakes than half a cake. The cupcakes make the recipient feel like they were made just for them. Half a cake makes them feel like an after thought; and 3. cupcakes can be made into gorgeous little works of art, big cakes require a LOT more effort to achieve the same thing. So that's why I tend to make things in mini, and this week is no different Individual carrot cakes instead of one big cake.
See In The Dark Carrot Cakes (Makes 24)
INGREDIENTS
Cake....
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
125gm Crushed Pineapple (drain off some of the excess juice)
3 Tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Cups Plain Flour
2 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
3 Cups Grated Carrots (use the large side of a grater)
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
FROSTING....
1/2 Cup Butter (softened)
125gm Cream Cheese (softened)
3 Cups Icing Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
METHOD
Cake....
2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together eggs, oil, apple sauce, sugars, pineapple, and vanilla on medium speed. Adjust speed to low and mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Once combined increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to low again and add carrots and pecans. Mix until just combined.
3. Pour mixture into muffin tins lined with paper or foil liners. Fill each liner 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 min. Let cakes cool completely in tins. Once cooled, remove to a wire cake rack.
Frosting....
1. In the medium bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Depending on how you want to frost the cakes, you may need to add more cream cheese or icing sugar to get the consistency you want.
2. Frost the cakes in the fashion that best reflects your mood.
I used a size 1 star tipped nozzle and piping bag.
Now..... Go Get Your Bake On!!
No comments:
Post a Comment