For the number of times I have baked this recipe, I can't quite believe I haven't blogged about it before now.
I worked in a bakery for 5 great years, and in all that time, I never tried their carrot cake. I just didn't get the concept of putting a vegetable in a cake. (Oh how time has changed me - my wedding cake had all kinds of vegetables in it! see this post for a photo - it's the cake that's covered in roses.)
It wasn't until a friend of mine who I met at university, and who loves all orange food, baked her cake, which oozed its deliciousness all over my kitchen, and I couldn't resist trying it. That cake transformed my thinking about carrot cake.
This little munchkin came out of my oven yesterday, along with 15 friends who all looked the same.
I like to think these cakes are perfect at any time of year - in the summer they are refreshing, and in the winter the mixed spice makes your house smell 'a little bit Christmassy', as John put it yesterday.
Carrot Cake :: recipe loosely adapted from James Martin
ingredients (yields 16 cupcakes or a 9" round cake)
200g wholemeal self raising flour
175g dark brown sugar
200g grated carrot (approx. 2 carrots)
150ml sunflower oil
2 eggs
half a tsp bi-carbonate of soda
135g raisins or sultanas
zest of 1 orange & 1 lemon
1 tbsp mixed spice
juice of half an orange
method
1) Pre-heat oven to 190C / Gas mark 5
2) Line muffin tray with paper cases
3) Whisk together the sugar, eggs & oil for 3 - 4 minutes
4) Sieve the flour, bi-carb and mixed spice into the bowl, pouring in any bits of the wholemeal flour that don't go through the sieve - these add a lovely depth to the texture of these cakes
5) Gently mix the flour & spices in until combined
6) Add the carrot, sultanas, juice & zest, then stir until combined
7) Fill the cupcake cases until they are two thirds full
8) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes
9) Leave to cool on a wire rack
icing
1) Gently whip the cream until it thickens. Do not let it go beyond this stage, otherwise your icing will be clumpy instead of beautifully smooth.
2) Add the mascarpone & sieve in the icing sugar, then mix to combine until smooth. Again, becareful not to overmix, as the cream is still vulnerable at this stage!
3) Pipe onto cupcakes with your nozzle of choice
4) Eat.
If you like nuts with your carrot cake, it would definitely work to throw in a few of your favourite variety. Equally, if you don't like citrus in cakes, feel free to remove the zest & juice elements, but personally, I like these additions. It also reminds me of Maeve's love of all orange food & how well they work together: orange + carrots = a great combination.
I worked in a bakery for 5 great years, and in all that time, I never tried their carrot cake. I just didn't get the concept of putting a vegetable in a cake. (Oh how time has changed me - my wedding cake had all kinds of vegetables in it! see this post for a photo - it's the cake that's covered in roses.)
It wasn't until a friend of mine who I met at university, and who loves all orange food, baked her cake, which oozed its deliciousness all over my kitchen, and I couldn't resist trying it. That cake transformed my thinking about carrot cake.
This little munchkin came out of my oven yesterday, along with 15 friends who all looked the same.
{I inherited this plate from my Nanny - it belonged to her Mum originally and was bought at Walthomstow Market - truly vintage}
I like to think these cakes are perfect at any time of year - in the summer they are refreshing, and in the winter the mixed spice makes your house smell 'a little bit Christmassy', as John put it yesterday.
Carrot Cake :: recipe loosely adapted from James Martin
ingredients (yields 16 cupcakes or a 9" round cake)
200g wholemeal self raising flour
175g dark brown sugar
200g grated carrot (approx. 2 carrots)
150ml sunflower oil
2 eggs
half a tsp bi-carbonate of soda
135g raisins or sultanas
zest of 1 orange & 1 lemon
1 tbsp mixed spice
juice of half an orange
method
1) Pre-heat oven to 190C / Gas mark 5
2) Line muffin tray with paper cases
3) Whisk together the sugar, eggs & oil for 3 - 4 minutes
4) Sieve the flour, bi-carb and mixed spice into the bowl, pouring in any bits of the wholemeal flour that don't go through the sieve - these add a lovely depth to the texture of these cakes
5) Gently mix the flour & spices in until combined
6) Add the carrot, sultanas, juice & zest, then stir until combined
7) Fill the cupcake cases until they are two thirds full
8) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes
9) Leave to cool on a wire rack
icing
1) Gently whip the cream until it thickens. Do not let it go beyond this stage, otherwise your icing will be clumpy instead of beautifully smooth.
2) Add the mascarpone & sieve in the icing sugar, then mix to combine until smooth. Again, becareful not to overmix, as the cream is still vulnerable at this stage!
3) Pipe onto cupcakes with your nozzle of choice
4) Eat.
If you like nuts with your carrot cake, it would definitely work to throw in a few of your favourite variety. Equally, if you don't like citrus in cakes, feel free to remove the zest & juice elements, but personally, I like these additions. It also reminds me of Maeve's love of all orange food & how well they work together: orange + carrots = a great combination.
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