SWEET FIX

It is surprising how little time it takes to prepare our family satisfying favorites as Madeira flapjacks, cheese cakes, chocolate cakes, brownies, cupcakes, rock cakes and fruit cakes not to mention the list is endless. Like larger cakes needs to be complemented with nuts for example pecan, hazelnuts ,almonds macadamia also fruits like strawberries, peaches, pears, grapes and cherries however dozens ways in which fruits can be used as the basics in bakes. Thanks to modern transportation systems, the range of unusual and exotic fruits available in supermarkets seem to expand every week. There is also a range of common cake flavors like coconut, vanilla, ginger and my favorite cocoa powder which gives a strong chocolate flavor. It is already sweetened and does not require cooking, the resulting is less chocolatey.

*225g plain flour

*One teaspoons baking powder

*One teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

*One teaspoon ground ginger *½ teaspoon salt

*175g sugar

*225 g grated carrots

*25g grated ginger

*60g seedless raisins

*Two medium eggs beaten

*Three tablespoon oil

*Juice of 1 medium orange

FROSTING

*225g cream cheese

*Four tablespoon icing sugar

*One tsp vanilla essence TO DECORATE

*Carrot grated

*Fresh ginger [stem]

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Celsius. Grease and line a cake tin. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, carrots, ginger and raisins. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Beat together the eggs, oil and orange juice then pour into the center of the well. Combine the ingredients together. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake in the oven for 1hr 15 min until firm to touch or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin. To make the frosting, place the soft cheese in the bowl and beat to soften. Sift in the icing sugar and add the vanilla essence. Stir well to mix Remove the cake from the tin and smooth the frosting over the top. Decorate and serve

 

CHEF’S HINTS AND TIPS

  • Do not over mix cream cheese icing as the consistency becomes runny.
  • The only difference between brown and white eggs is the shell color, which is determined by genetics. They have the same flavor, taste and cooking characteristics and the nutritional content is affected by the hen’s diet.
  • If blanched almonds break when you try to split them, leave soaking in hot water for half an hour or so to allow them to soften first. Check and like my FACEBOOK Food Radio. For more recipes and feedback and enquiry simply inbox