The last carrot crumbles

Today I have finished the last slice of the carrot cake I made on Sunday for my friends. They all seemed to enjoy it. And they looked honest. I need to practice at taking good close shots of food - I'm seriously considering cultivating this passion for food and photography. Who knows if something in the future comes up?

At least I am already in the right environment. Helping poor people from hunger. A bit the other side of the spectrum though. Food security v food abundance. I think food (well this thought is not that original and I am not the first person who has said it) has a central role in people's life. Most of our celebrations are around food. And funny but true, some of our best travelling memories involve food in a way or in another.

Anyway, going back to my cake. Here is the recipe I got from the website. It is a GoodFood recipe which I adapted slightly (a bit less oil and sugar and sandwiched filling rather than just on the top). I think the recipe could be adapted to cupcakes, just distribute the mix into the little cups (up to 3/4) and bake for 20-25 minutes instead of 35.

Sandwiched Carrot Cake

150g raising flour;

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda;

1 tsp baking powder;

2 eggs;

130g caster sugar;

250g coarsely grated carrots;

125ml vegetable oil;

1 tsp vanilla essence;

2 tsp cinnamon powder;

150g cream cheese;

200g icing sugar;

50g butter.

1. Preheat the oven to C180.

2. Sift the flour and mix the soda and baking powder. Add the cinnamon.

3. Grate the peeled carrots (not too fine as if you were grating cheese for your pasta) and add them to the floury mix.

4. Beat the eggs and add the sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

5. Add the oil to the eggs.

6. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and incorporate everything well to ensure all the ingredients are sticking together.

7. Pour the mix into two small sandwich tins previously greased. Place them in the oven on the same level and bake them for 30minutes at C180.

8. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down on a rack for at least 20 minutes. I left mine resting for the entire night and I believe the flavour intensifies. The advantage is also that you don't have to rush and do lots of things at the same time in case you are cooking more.

9. For the filling and icing. Mix 150g cream cheese with 50g butter and 200g icing sugar. Use half of this mix to fill the cake by distributing on top of one of the cakes.

10. Place the second cake on top so that the filling can be seen and gives a pretty effect. Spread the other half of the filling on top of the second cake using a fork so that you can give some nice ridge effects. Sprinkle some grated carrot on top to garnish.

I know that by posting another cake I shew away all my "male readers" as for some reasons men don't seem to like baking while women do. Is it because men want to control what they do? Or because women are naturally a baby-oven? Mhmmm....I wonder..