May 2011 Carrot Cake, Orange Cream Filling

Serves 10

1 x 30 cm diameter cake ring

view video at:       http://www.gbgmagazine.co.uk/?p=2984

• Ingredients:

• 850g       Soft Brown Sugar

• 4              Free Range Eggs

• 300ml    Corn Oil

• 1              Vanilla Pod (split lenghtways)

• 850g       Carrot (grated)

• 425g       Wholemeal Flour

• 285g       Chopped Almonds

• 1/2 tspn Salt

• 2 tspn     Ground Cinnamon

• 2 tspn     Baking Powder

• Orange Cream Filling:

• 300g       Soft Cream Cheese

• 80g         Icing Sugar

• 30g         Fine Orange Zest

• 30ml      Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

• 1             Vanilla Pod (split lengthways)

Method:Peel and finely grate the carrots. Split the vanilla pod and using a cook’s knife scrape out all the little seeds.  In a mixing bowl whisk together the soft brown sugar, vanilla seeds and eggs until light in texture, gradually add the corn oil until all is incorporated, next sieve together the wholemeal flour, ground cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Add the grated carrot and chopped almonds to the egg mixture and mix well, finally fold the sieved dry ingredients into the above and mix lightly. Place into a greased 30cm diameter cake ring and bake at 165 oC until golden in colour and when a knife or skewer is inserted and removed it comes away clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.
Whilst cooling prepare the filling by scraping the seeds from the vanilla pod, whisk these together with the finely grated orange zest and icing sugar, adjust consistancy with freshly squeezed orange juice.
Once cool split the cake into two with a serated cooks knife and spread the filling generously. Dust the cake with icing sugar and top with more cream filling. Decorate with Glacé Cherries or Walnut halves.

Alternative flavours can also be made using grated Parsnips or Beetroot and different spices.