Carrot and Pineapple Cake

Prep Time: 0:20
Cook Time: 0:45
Serves: 6

Ingredients / Shopping List

200g grated carrots 
175g soft dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
200g S.R.wholemeal flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80g chopped nuts pecans or walnuts
110g sultanas
25g raisins
200g tin pineapple in natural juice drained
Lemon zest
150ml oil (rapeseed or corn)
 
Topping
100g butter
200g cream cheese
Lemon juice
50 -100g icing sugar
 

Prep to Cook:  Oven 190⁰C Gas Mark 5

Either line a 20 cm square cake tin with non stick paper or use large cup cake cases in a muffin tray
 

 

Prep:

Peel and grate carrots.
 
Roughly chop the nuts into smaller pieces. 
 
Mix sultanas and raisins.
 
Drain pineapple pieces and put in the processor until smaller pieces. 
 
Sift the flour with the bicarbonate and ground ginger.
 
Add the sifted flour bran back into the flour.
 
Using an electric mixer whisk the eggs and oil until thick and creamy.
 
Stir in flour, add dried fruits, pineapple and carrot and stir well.
 
Pour into cake tin and level out.
 
Cook for 35 – 40 minutes
 
Remove when top is bouncy to touch
 
Cool
 
Spread with cream cheese topping. 
 
Blend the cream cheese, butter.
 
Add 1 tsp lemon juice with 50 - 100g sieved icing sugar according to taste.
 
 
 
Check it out!

Carrot cake contains fresh carrots, dried fruits and pineapple.  It contains many nutrients that are useful for growing children.  It is made using oil and is therefore a moist cake with good keeping qualities.

Recipe Science

Cooks Know How:

This cake is essentially an all in one mixture helped on its way by whisking the oil and eggs to a thick paste first.  The ingredients all have a role to play.

The SR flour and the bicarbonate of soda help the cake to rise and have a light texture.
The carrot, pineapple, raisins and sultanas provide a rich mixture of fruit to bulk up the cake and provide interesting texture as do the nuts pieces.
The ground mixed spice supplies the spice flavour and contributes to the dark colour of the cake.
The eggs and the oil enrich the cake, add calories and help the cake to remain moist.
Baking the mixture makes the eggs set and the ingredients meld together and soften before rising to make a delicious cake.
The dark colour of the cake contrasts well with the sweet and tangy cheese topping.

 

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