Carrot & Sultana Cake
Preparation 10 Minutes
Cook 40 Minutes
Serves 8
Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb, spices and salt. Stir to combine.
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add half of the flour mix and mix on low speed until combined. Add remaining flour mix and mix on low speed again until all of the flour is incorporated. Add the pineapple and sultanas. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Divide evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 40 mins or until cooked. Rotate the cakes after 20 mins. (You can test with a skewer, and the cake is ready when the skewer comes out clean.)
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 mins, then transfer to cooling racks and leave until cooled.
Meanwhile, prepare the icing.
In a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 4 mins. Add half of the sifted icing sugar and beat on low speed for about 1 min. Increase speed to medium to combine. Add remaining icing sugar and reduce speed to low for a further minute, then increase to medium speed for another few minutes until all of the icing sugar is combined. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Beat for 1 minute or until combined. Add extra tablespoon of milk of you would like a thinner frosting.
Divide the frosting between the centre of the cakes, reserving the remainder for the top and the sides.
Decorate with topping of choice.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup caster sugar
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups shredded carrot
¾ cup tinned pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup Sunbeam sultanas
Icing
250g unsalted butter, softened
5 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
Recipe Collection
30 Minute Christmas Pudding
- Place fruit and brand in microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwavable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double layer or baking paper secured with kitchen string.
- Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesn’t come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate.
Optional meringue peak: In a heatproof bowl combine 90g egg whites with 150g caster sugar, place over a small saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Use a stand mixer or handheld beater to whisk until very stiff peaks form (about 8-10 mins). Dollop the meringue on top of the pudding and use a kitchen blowtorch to toast.
Fancy Fruit and Nut Cake
Preheat oven to 150°C
- Grease a standard loaf tin (21 x 13cm or larger). Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 6cm above rim to form a collar.
- Coarsely chop half the nuts, glacé fruit and cherries and place in a large bowl (reserve the remainder of each for topping). Add raisins and dates and stir to combine.
- Sift flours and cinnamon, then stir 1⁄4 cup into the fruit mixture.
- Beat eggs, sugar, 2 tablespoons of brandy and rind together until light. Add remaining flour and stir to combine, then fold through fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared tin/s and press down with back of a spoon.
- Cut remaining glacé fruits into quarters. Press gently on top of cake along with whole nuts and whole cherries.
- Cover top of cake with paper bag or baking paper, resting on the collar. Bake large cake for 11⁄2-13⁄4 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin.
- Place apricot conserve and remaining brandy in a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring for 3 minutes. Strain, then brush over cake. To serve, cut into thick slices.
Christmas Cheesecake
Preaheat oven 160 degrees (140 degrees fan).
- Brush base and sides of 25cm springform pan with butter.
- Process biscuits, extra melted butter and almond meal in a food processor until fine crumb. Press into base and sides of pan.
- Combine ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and vanilla bean paste in food processor. Blend for 2 mins then fold through sour cream and fruit.
- Pour filling over base, cover with foil and bake for 1.5 hours. Remove cake from oven, allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.
To make Toffee
- Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread nuts evenly over tray.
- Add sugar to a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar completely dissolves then remove from heat immediately and pour over nuts.
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes then allow to set. Serve cheesecake topped with shards of broken nut toffee.
Mini Bombe Alaskas
Line 6 x 180ml dariole moulds (or 6 x 180ml capacity small dishes) with plastic wrap.*
Place icecream into a large bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 mins, or until soft (do not allow to completely melt). Add fruit, nuts and sherry and use a spatula to mix well.
Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared moulds and freeze overnight or until firm.
Slice the madeira cake horizontally into three big slices, about 2cm thick. Use a cookie cutter (just bigger than the bases of the icecream moulds) to cut 6 rounds from the cake slices.
To make the meringue, combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
One at a time, carefully remove an icecream from the mould and place on top of a cake round. Working quickly, smooth meringue around the cake and icecream to completely cover then blowtorch until golden. Serve and repeat with remaining prepared icecreams.
Sultana Cinnamon Mini Muffins
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line two 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans with paper cases. Combine flour, brown sugar, oats and sultanas in medium bowl. Whisk milk, melted butter and egg in small bowl, stir into dry ingredients (do not overmix, mixture should be lumpy).
Divide mixture into paper cases. Bake about 15 minutes, turn, top-side up, onto wire rack. Combine caster sugar with cinnamon, sprinkle over hot muffins.
IceCream Torte & Caramel Fig Sauce
Line a 12cm x 26cm x 8cm terrine tin with plastic wrap, leaving enough to be able to cover the top completely.
Pulse dried fruit in a food processor to roughly chop. Combine in a bowl with the port. Set aside for 2 hours.
In a food processor blitz cookies to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine.
Whisk 2 cups (500ml) cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, lightly beat condensed milk and lemon juice together. Fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture, then fold in drained fruit mixture and nuts. Spread a third of the cream mixture over the base of the lined terrine, then top with half the biscuit mixture, then repeat again with cream mixture & biscuits. Enclose with plastic wrap, then freeze overnight.
Place figs in a bowl, cover with boiling water, then set aside for 30 minutes.
Combine sugar and remaining 200ml cream in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Drain figs (discard liquid), add to cream mixture and simmer for 1 minute. Cool.
To serve, invert terrine onto a serving plate and spoon over caramel figs with their syrup.
