Carrot Cake

Ingredients

175 g light muscovado or soft brown sugar
175 ml sunflower oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
140 g grated carrots (about 3 medium)
100 g raisins
1 large orange grated zest of
175 g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour)
Frosting  
125 g unsalted butter at room temperature
50 g icing sugar
250 g cream cheese

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ (fan 160℃).
  2. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18 cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
  3. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs.  Lightly mix with a wooden spoon.
  4. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.
  5. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl.  Lightly mix all the ingredients until evenly amalgamated.  The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
  6. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy.
  7. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack.
    (You can freeze the cake at this point.)
  8. Cream cheese frosting:  For the frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and then beat in the cream cheese. Spread a thick layer on top of the cake.

Notes

  • Ingredient amounts don’t need to be exact.
  • May need to bake longer and at a lower temp in a loaf tin.  Two small loaf tins cook for same amount as a large square tin.
  • Tested successfully with gluten free flour

Cauliflower Cheese

Vegetarian. Serves: 4 (easily). Prep. and cooking: 35 mins.

Always a reliable filling meal.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
50 g flour
75 g butter
½ l milk
100 g fresh cream
50 g grated Gruyère cheese
salt and pepper
pinch nutmeg

Technique

Wash the cauliflower and separate into small florets.  Boil gently in salted water for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Béchamel sauce:  Melt 50 g of butter in a saucepan and blend in the flour gradually, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps.  Pour in the milk slowly, stirring all the time.

Bring to boil and leave to look for 5 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Remove from the heat and blend in the fresh cream.

Heat the oven to 230℃.  Strain the cauliflower.  Butter a gratin dish with the remaining 25 g of butter.  Arrange the cauliflower florets on it and pour over the Béchamel sauce..  Scatter with grated cheese and cook in the over for about 15 minutes before serving immediately.

Note:  Cheddar cheese can be substituted for the Gruyère quite happily and can also be mixed into the sauce, if desired..