Current location:opinions >>
Rustle these up with Rosemary: Carrot cake with orange buttercream and walnuts
opinions8People have gathered around
IntroductionIn her new book, chef Rosemary Shrager guides you through tried and tested recipes that she vows wil ...
In her new book, chef Rosemary Shrager guides you through tried and tested recipes that she vows will turn you into a better cook
You can't beat a good carrot cake and this one is better than good, it's great
I always enjoy carrot cake but this one is made extra special by the addition of dates, which give it a slightly Middle Eastern flavour.
It is worth adding the carrot confit if you have time, as it looks pretty and tastes great.
Serves 8
For the cake
- 200g (7oz) plain flour
- 2 slightly heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g (3½oz) walnuts, roughly chopped, plus some extra walnut halves to decorate
- 250g (9oz) runny honey
- 100g (3½oz) carrots, peeled and finely grated
- 180g (6¼oz) pitted dates, chopped
- 2tsp ground cinnamon
- 1tsp grated nutmeg
- 100g (3½oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
For the buttercream icing
- 250g (9oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar, sifted
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange, well washed
- 100ml (3½fl oz) double cream
For the carrot confit (optional)
- 150g (5½oz) golden caster sugar
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
ROSEMARY SAYS...
Make sure you line your cake tin properly so you can remove the cake without damaging the sides.
The best way is to grease the tin lightly, then line with baking paper – greasing first helps to keep the paper in place.
AdvertisementPut the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and the roughly chopped walnuts in a large bowl and set it aside. Then put the honey, carrots, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter in a pan and add 200ml of water.
Place the pan over a gentle heat and let everything melt together, then simmer for 5-7 minutes. Tip the mixture into a clean bowl and leave to cool until lukewarm, then stir in the flour, bicarb and walnuts.
Pour the mixture into the lined tin, then bake for 45 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, put the butter in a bowl with the icing sugar and orange zest. Using an electric hand mixer, beat until soft. Whisk the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the butter and sugar mixture.
To make the carrot confit, if using, put the sugar in a pan with 200ml of water and slowly bring to the boil over a gentle heat. Add the carrot and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Strain off the liquid and leave the strips of carrot on a piece of greaseproof paper to cool.
To assemble the cake, cut it in half horizontally. Spread some of the buttercream on the bottom layer, cover with the other half of the cake and spread the rest of the icing on top.
Then decorate with the walnut halves and the carrot confit, if using.
Extracted from Rosemary Shrager’s Cookery Course by Rosemary Shrager, published by BBC Books, £20. Offer price £16 until 06/10/2018, order at mailshop. co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over £15. Photography © Andrew Hayes-Watkins.
ROSEMARY'S GOLDEN RULES
Rosemary's golden rules include buying everything fresh and being organised
I’m all for breaking rules but there are some kitchen habits I stick to.
Buy everything as fresh as possible. Supermarkets have their place, but look at local farms and markets too.
Be organised when preparing food. Keep your ingredients on your left and prepped food on your right.
When preparing ingredients, finish one task before starting the next, ie. skin all your tomatoes, then chop – don’t peel one, chop it, then go back to peeling. It’s just not efficient.
Clear up as you go. Mess is stressful.
AdvertisementTags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Space news portal”。http://iceland.downmusic.org/content-49f099946.html
Related articles
Insider Q&A: CIA's chief technologist's cautious embrace of generative AI
opinionsKnowledge advantage can save lives, win wars and avert disaster. At the Central Intelligence Agency, ...
【opinions】
Read moreLatest review should 'put to bed' methane debate, minister says
opinionsClimate Change Minister Simon Watts hopes the independent review will put to bed the debate about ho ...
【opinions】
Read moreJudge rejects Trump free speech challenge to Georgia 2020 election case
opinionsWashington —A Georgia judge on Thursday rejected Donald Trump’s bid to dismiss criminal charges in t ...
【opinions】
Read more
Popular articles
- Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands
- Chinese hackers breached US ambassador to China's email account
- Donald Trump's Georgia judge dismisses some criminal charges
- Unexplained Tākaka death not suspicious
- Iran helicopter crash that killed President Raisi could reverberate across the Middle East
- ASEAN summit: Myanmar community asks Parliament to block junta representatives
Latest articles
Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands
In pictures: Auckland's Ramadan Night Markets in New Lynn
Unexplained Tākaka death not suspicious
Russia election: Arrests for vandalism as ballot boxes targeted in Putin vote
Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia
Watch: Auckland teens rescued from rocks as water 'rapidly' rose around them
LINKS
- Police investigating shotgun attack on rugby team's van in Hawke's Bay
- 2028 total solar eclipse in New Zealand likely big tourism drawcard, astronomer says
- Russia arrests suspected attackers after mass shooting kills 93 at concert
- Argentine state news agency Telam shut after Milei threat
- 'We simply cannot afford to': Hawke's Bay leaders desperate for cyclone
- SpaceX confirms loss of rocket at end of third test flight
- Compulsory microchipping and desexing of pet cats after Lower Hutt council vote
- Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis a wake up call
- NZ chef at French restaurant awarded Michelin star
- NZ chef at French restaurant awarded Michelin star