DESSERTS
CARROT CAKE
By Chef Paul @ the _ whistling _ goat
INGREDIENTS
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups caramel sugar
• 1 cup sunflower oil
• 1 cup full cream milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chai powder
• 3 teaspoons ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch five spice
• 2 finely grated carrots
• 1 grated Golden Delicious apple
• 1 cup chopped sultanas, cashew nuts & pecan nuts
• ingredients of choice for decoration
For the icing:
• 180g cream cheese
• 180g softened butter
• 500g icing sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 170 ° C.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar for about 10 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Add the sunflower oil, milk and vanilla extract, then mix briefly to combine.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, chai powder, ginger, cinnamon and five spice.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
6. Add the grated carrots, apple, sultanas and nuts, and mix. 7. Grease and line two cake tins. 8. Divide the batter evenly between the tins.
9. Bake on the middle shelf for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
11. For the cream cheese icing, beat all the icing ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.
12. Refrigerate slightly, if needed, until firm enough to spread. 13. Sandwich the cakes with icing, then cover with remaining icing.
14. Decorate with ingredients of choice.
essentialflavours. co. za • Winter 2026 | 105