Carrot Cupcakes.

Carrot Cake is probably my favourite cake, I love it and I found this really lovely recipe for the perfect carrot cake on the Joy of Baking website a couple of years ago. I deffinately reccommend looking on the website as it's absoloutely incredible with every recipe you could ever think of. It is also american so there are lots of lovely american treats including lots of chocolate and peanut butter recipes which, are always good in my books.

 

 

This carrot cake recipe is gorgeous though. The sponge is so light, soft and moist and it has a really lovely sweet flavour with a nice warm spice coming from the cinnamon too. The cream cheese icing is also delicious, sugary and rich and goes perfectly with the carrot sponge.

Recipe - makes 24 cupcakes

 

100g walnuts

340g raw carrots, finely grated

260g self-raising flour

1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 large eggs

300g caster sugar

240ml vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla essence

Cream Cheese Frosting -

57g butter

227g cream cheese

230g icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla essence

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

 

Method

 

Pre-heat the oven to 200C and place 24 cupcake cases in two 12 hole bun tins.

 

Peel and finely grate the carrots.

 

Grind the walnuts in a food processor and in a large bowl mix together the ground walnuts, sieved self-raising flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

 

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and whisk until the batter is thick and pale in colour (about 3-4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and beat until incorporated.

 

Fold in the grated carrot and evenly divide the batter between the cupcake cases.

 

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cupcakes are just firm to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

 

Finally, make the cream cheese frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together with an electric whisk, blending until there are no lumps. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Lastly, beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest and top each cupcake with about 1 tsp. of cream cheese icing and a walnut piece.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Thankyou for reading!

Love Courts x

Puy Lentil, Spiced Roast Carrot & Feta Salad.

 

The other day I came across another rather yummy sounding salad recipe and as I had a packet of Puy lentils left over from my last recipe I thought I'd give it a try. I was a bit worried plating it up that it would be a bit boring as it didn't seem to have much to it but, it actually tasted lovely and refreshing and I really enjoyed it. The carrots tasted lovely and sweet after being roasted in the honey, the lemon juice caramelised the red onion and tasted delicious and finally the mint came through amazingly and tased perfect with the feta.

 

I originally planned to serve my salad with some garlic bread but, as I am planning to make Gnocchi this weekend I thought I would whip up some scones to serve with it instead and I love this scone recipe.

 

 

Recipe

 

2 tbsp olive oil                                                                   

1 tbsp. cumin seeds  (I made the mistake of only adding 1 tsp. the actual recipe called for 1 tbsp. so feel free to add 1 tbsp if you like it spicy.) 

500g carrots , peeled, halved and cut into batons

1 tbsp clear honey
250g pouch cooked Puy lentils (or canned, drained and rinsed)
1 red onion , finely sliced
½ lemon , juiced
large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
100g lamb's lettuces
85g feta cheese , crumbled

For the scones -
60g Butter
250g self-raising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
about 150ml milk
125g grated mature cheddar
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 onion, diced
3 rashers of bacon (or veggie bacon)


Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a shallow roasting tin, toss together half the oil, the cumin, carrots and some seasoning. Roast for 25 mins, turning halfway through cooking. Drizzle over the honey, stir and roast for 5 mins more.
2. Meanwhile, gently heat the lentils with the onion, lemon juice, remaining oil and some salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly while the carrots finish cooking.
3. Toss the dressed lentils with mint and lamb's lettuce. Lay warm spiced carrots on top and scatter with feta. Serve alongside a warm scone spread with butter.

(To make the scones - Lightly grease a large baking tray. Cook the bacon and fry the onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil until soft. Chop the bacon into small pieces. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese, mustard powder and dried basil. Stir in the onion and bacon. Break the egg into a measuring jug and make up to 150ml with milk. Beat lightly to mix. Add to the bowl and mix to a soft dough. Lightly knead the dough until smooth. Roll out until 1cm thick, cut into rounds with a pastry cutter, and put on the baking tray. Brush with milk. Bake in pre-heated oven at 220C for about 10 minutes until risen and golden. Serve warm with butter.) 

Enjoy!

 

 

Thankyou for reading!

Love Courts x