Carrot Cake

Well the sale on Monday was a disaster - but luckily I didn't go so I didn't waste any time really! Karen came round yesterday and she had sold 15 cards - so that was good - we had a nice chat over a coffee, and I topped up her box back to 35 cards.

I am thinking of a few things to challenge the rubber stampers and will do something at the weekend.

I made a carrot cake yesterday - I had three different recipes - that were all very similar and this was what I used finally - and it was perfect

Carrot Cake
6oz (175 g) dark brown soft sugar, sifted (or a mix of honey and sugar)
2 large eggs
4fl oz (120 ml) sunflower oil
7oz (200 g) self-raising flour (two suggested wholemeal but I didn't have any)
1½ level teasps bicarbonate of soda;
2 0r 3 rounded teasps mixed spice
grated zest 1 orange
7oz (200 g) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
6oz (175 g) sultanas

Gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C). oblong roasting tin – 4cm deep (swiss roll tin size but deeper),
Whisk sugar, eggs and oil together. Then sift together the flour, bicarb, mixed spice. Stir all together, fold in the orange zest, carrots and sultanas. Pour the mixture into tin, centre of oven - 35-40 minutes.

I also saw this suggested but didn't bother....
Syrup – stir juice ½ small orange;
1 desstsp lemon juice;
1½ oz (40 g) dark brown soft sugar (melt together).
Prick cake and pour on syrup while hot.

Topping:
I squeezed the juice of half the orangeand mixed with icing sugar and drizzled it over the top.

also suggest for the topping:
9oz (250 g) Quark (skimmed-milk soft cheese);
¾oz (20 g) caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract; (mix ingredients in a bowl until light and fluffy, chill)
then dust with 1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon

Ice with topping of your choice, cut it into 12 squares and dust with a little more cinnamon.