Foodie Friday: Carrots are a popular feature in Easter decorating themes and so it makes perfect sense that they are a part of the Easter food plans too. This Easter Carrot Cake well and truly fits the bill, with scrumptious carrot cake inside and gorgeous white chocolate carrots on the outside. Perfect for every bunny!

Prep: 0:30 Mins
Cook:
0:30 Mins
Serves:
10

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 225 ml vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 cups carrot grated
  • 3/4 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1/2 cup sultanas

 

CHOCOLATE CARROTS

  • 150 g white chocolate melts
  • 3 gel food colouring

 

CREAM CHEESE ICING

  • 250 g cream cheese room temperature
  • 200 g unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 cups icing sugar

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Grease two 20cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder and bicarbnate of soda into a large bowl. Stir through mixed spice and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add to flour mixture with carrots, walnuts and sultanas. Fold gently until just combined.
  3. Divide batter equally between prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in tin, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
  4. To make chocolate carrots, divide white chocolate melts between two heat-proof bowls. Working with one at a time, place over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Add red and yellow food colour gels and mix to desired orange colour. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe ‘carrots’ onto a tray lined with baking paper. Repeat with remaining white chocolate melts to make green coloured chocolate. Pipe leaves onto the carrots. Allow to firm.
  5. To make icing, whip cream cheese and butter for several minutes in a stand mixer or with hand-held beaters until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and icing sugar and continue whipping until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
  6. Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread over a thick layer of icing then place second cake on top. Cover entire cake with a thin layer of icing. This is called the crumb coat and doesn’t need to be perfect. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set, then add remaining icing and carefully smooth with a palette knife. Carefully press chocolate carrots onto sides of cake and serve.

 

Source link: www.bestrecipes.com.au