Little Carrot Cakes With Orange Honey Syrup Recipes

LITTLE CARROT CAKES WITH ORANGE & HONEY SYRUP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil a 12-hole muffin tin, or line it with muffin cases. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, bicarb, mixed spice and orange zest. Whisk together the eggs, oil and yogurt, then stir into the dry ingredients along with the grated carrots. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, or divide between the cases, if using, then bake for 20-22 mins until a skewer inserted in to the middle comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and leave them to cool a little.
• Meanwhile, to make the syrup, heat the honey and orange juice in a pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a minute until syrupy. Spoon a few tsp over each cake while still warm, then leave to cool completely. For the icing, mix the mascarpone, yogurt and icing sugar until just combined (if you over-mix, it will become runny). Use a palette or cutlery knife to swirl the icing on top of the cakes, drizzle with a little more honey, if you like, and decorate with edible flowers or orange zest.

ORANGE HONEY SYRUP

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine the honey, the orange juice, the water, and the zest and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until it is reduced to 1 1/3 cups. (If the syrup is reduced too much, it becomes too thick and too sweet.) Stir in the Manto and let the syrup cool. The syrup may be made 1 week in advance and kept, covered, at room temperature.
• Makes about 1 1/3 cups

HONEY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. In a large bowl, stir together the honey, buttermilk, eggs, oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until well blended. Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, and stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Stir in the carrot, pineapple, and walnuts by hand. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.
• To make the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, honey and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and well blended. Spread over the cooled cake.