Carrot Patch Cake Recipes

RUDOLPH'S CARROT PATCH CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Arrange 6 mini loaf cases (8 x 4 x 4cm) on a baking tray. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, spices, orange zest and ¼ tsp salt. In a jug, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 30 mins until risen and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• While the cakes are cooking, make the carrot decorations. Mix the orange food colouring into the fondant icing until evenly coloured, then divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a cyclinder, about 5cm long, then roll one end a little thinner to create a carrot shape. Use a cocktail stick to make indentations along the sides. Set aside, standing them on their fattest end, to firm up for 30 mins. Now make the chocolate icing. Put the butter, cocoa, icing sugar and milk into a saucepan, and bubble for a few mins, stirring with a small whisk until smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool for 20 mins. For the green coconut 'grass', tip the coconut into a small bowl, add a little green food colouring and mix until evenly coated.
• To assemble the cakes, first cut a little hole, about 1cm, into the centre of each to 'plant' your carrot later. Stir the icing and spread over the cakes to cover the surface. Push your carrot into the centre, then scatter the green coconut around the edges. Stick a sprig of parsley into the top of each carrot and sprinkle the coconut grass with green edible glitter, if you like. Can be stored in a sealed cake tin for up to 3 days.

"CARROT PATCH" CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, water and oil. Blend with hand mixer until batter is smooth.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Spray a 9x13" cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan.
• Bake according to package directions (usually 30-35 minutes for a 9x13 cake).
• While cake is baking, place the white baking chips into a small saucepan and begin stirring them over Medium-Low heat on the stove (or follow the instructions on the bag).
• When they are almost melted, add a few drops of orange gel food coloring to the mixture. Continue stirring until all candy is melted and it is all orange.
• NOTE: I tried this before with liquid food coloring and the candy coating hardened immediately. I did not have this problem with gel coloring. If you can find orange candy melts, you can use them and skip this step.
• Skewer the marshmallows with toothpicks and roll them around in the melted candy until they are covered. You only need to do the top and sides.
• Allow excess chocolate to drip off and poke the toothpicks into a piece of thick styrofoam (or through the top of a shoe box like I did). You can also remove the toothpicks and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Place in fridge until the candy is set (about 10 minutes).
• By this point, the cake should be about done baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you finish the marshmallow carrots.
• Remove the marshmallows from the fridge and use a tooth pick to poke 3 small holes very close to each other in the middle of the top of each marshmallow.
• Using the toothpick, push 1 piece of edible Easter grass into each hole to create the carrot tops. Set aside until cake is cool enough to add the icing.
• When cake is cool, icing it with the can of frosting (or your favorite recipe).
• Remove the marshmallows from toothpicks and gently press them down into the frosting until you feel the cake "give" a little. I made 3 rows with 4 "carrots" in each row.
• Sprinkle the Oreo crumbs over the chocolate frosting to create the look of dirt. Dust crumbs off of the carrot tops if any land there while sprinkling.
• You are finished!

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, oil, carrots and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in pineapple, coconut and nuts. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost cake. Sprinkle with additional nuts. Store in the refrigerator.

CARROT PATCH CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the pistachios. Mix well to combine, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the cream cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cake from the tin and spread the icing thickly on top. Scatter with some of the remaining pistachios. Dye the fondant or marzipan orange by kneading in a drop of food colouring. Roll into little carrot shapes, then use a skewer to make indentations and poke a few pistachios in to look like fronds. Top the cake with the carrots, then serve. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days (eat at room temperature).