Category: Desserts

You can’t go wrong with this carrot cake. Soft, textured, tasty and reliably easy to make.

The cake
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar
3/4 cup (180ml) rice oil
1/4 cup (125ml) golden syrup
1/2 cup (250ml) treacle
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 medium peeled carrots, grated

The icing
250g spreadable cream cheese
1/2 cup (80g) pure icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

The ingredients can be mixed together as is. The oil ensures the cake is soft. The carrots provide texture and flavour.

Use a coarse grater with the carrots for added texture.

Substitute some oil for butter for a firmer cake.

Cook for around 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 200C, and towards the end watch the cake for overcooking, in which case it will start to overly darken.

Near the end of the baking push the cake centre down very gently using a flat knife while the cake is in the oven, if the centre is firm it is ready.

Allow to cool somewhat before applying the icing.

You can’t go wrong serving apple pie for dessert. Especially this one.

Arty Oatmeal Crumble Apple Pie – Serves 4 – 6
The bottom part …
1 large pastry shell
5 cups of trimmed apple pieces
2 tablespoons plain flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The top part …
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter

Heat oven to 230C.

Fit pastry shell into pie pan and put in freezer.

Place apples in bowl. In separate bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of flour, white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, mix, add to apples.

Toss until apples are coated.

Remove pie shell from freezer.

Place apple mix in pie shell and place 2 tablespoons butter around the mix.

Lay aluminium foil on top of filling, do not seal.

Bake for 10 minutes.

While filling is baking, in a bowl combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and lemon peel. Mix then cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly.

Get the filling from oven and sprinkle the crumbly mix on top.

Reduce heat to 190C and bake 30 minutes, until browned and apples are tender.

Cover with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.

Serve with ice cream or cream.