Mini Carrot Cakes

This is a great recipe to entertain the kids whilst you are stuck at home and a great way to show them how to use vegetables to make a yummy cake.

Makes 6 muffins or 8-10 cupcakes

What you need:

For the cakes

• 125g carrots

• 100g caster sugar

• 75g butter or block margarine, softened

• 100g plain flour (you can also use wholemeal)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 60g sultanas

• 6 muffin cases or 8-10 cupcake cases

Icing

• 50g butter, softened

• 150g soft cream cheese

• 50g icing sugar, sifted

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate

You can decorate the top with whatever you have in your cupboard, fruit bowl or garden,  chopped nuts, pecan nuts, desiccated coconut, sprinkles, grated chocolate, grated lemon/orange rind, edible flowers such as primroses, violas look pretty and sprigs of rosemary or simply leave them plain.

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6.

2. Line the muffin tin or bun tin with paper cake cases.

3. To make the cakes: Scrub the carrots, top and tail them with a sharp knife on a board. Grate using the large tooth of the grater.

4. Place the caster sugar, softened butter, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and beaten egg into a large mixing bowl. Beat for about 3 minutes with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. If the mixture is very dry add a little milk to loosen.

5. Stir in the carrots and sultanas until coated in the cake mixture. Using two dessert spoons, pick up a spoon full of mixture with one spoon and push it into the cake case with the other spoon. make sure the cake cases are evenly filled.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 mins or until the cakes are golden and spring bake when pushed. You can also insert a small knife or skewer into the cakes, and it should come out clean.

7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

8. To make the icing: Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Spread over the cold cakes and decorate with you chosen decorations.

Steph's Top Tips

1. Have every weighed out before you start.

2. Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180, gas 6

3. Make sure the butter for the cakes and icing is at room temperature before you start.

4. ​You can make these in muffin tins with muffin cases, or bun tins with cupcake cases, which will be a bit smaller and makes a few more.

5. The cakes must be cold before you ice them.

6. Lemon or orange rind can also be added to the cakes.

STAR BAKES

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