Carrotcake
SERVES10-12// PREPTIME 20 MINS// COOK 55 MINS(PLUSCOOLING)“I adaptedthiscakefromRoseLevyBeranbaum’sTheCakeBible- it has been my favourite cake for a really long time,” says Puskas.
300 gm(2cups)plainflour
11/2 tspbakingpowder
1 tspbicarbonateofsoda
1 tspsalt
1 tbspcocoapowder
2 tspgroundcinnamon
300 gmcastersugar
100 gmbrownsugar
270 mlricebranoil
4 eggs
2 tspvanillaextract
450 gmcoarselygratedcarrot
(about4 carrots)
CREAMCHEESEICING
100 gmbutter,softened
400 gmicingsugar
250 gmcreamcheese, room
temperature
CANDIEDWALNUTS
110 gm(1/2cup)castersugar
5 gmwalnuts
Sea salt flakes, to sprinkle1 Preheatovento180°C.
Greasetworound22cmcake
pansandlinebaseand sides
withbakingpaper.
2 Whiskflour,bakingpowder,
bicarb,salt,cocoaandcinnamon
ina bowluntilcombined.Using
anelectricmixerfittedwith
a paddleattachment,beat
sugars,oil,eggsandvanilla
onmediumspeeduntilthick
andsmooth(2minutes).Add
flourmixtureandmixonlow
speeduntiljustcombined.Fold
in carrot. Divide mixture evenlybetweenpreparedpans,
smoothtopsandbake,
swappingtinshalfwaythrough
cookingtime,untila skewer
insertedinthecentrecomes
outclean(45-55minutes).Cool
intinsfor 10 minutesthencool
completelyona wirerack.
3 Forcandiedwalnuts,roast
walnutsonanoventraylined
withbakingpaperuntilgolden
(4-5minutes).Meanwhile,bring
sugarand50mlwatertothe
simmerina smallsaucepan
overmediumheat,stiruntil
sugardissolvesandbrush
downsidesofpanwitha wet
pastrybrushtoremoveany
sugarparticles.Increaseheat
tohighandcookuntilcaramel
(5-10minutes).Pourcaramel
evenlyovernutsandsprinkle
withsaltflakes.Setaside to
cool(10-15minutes).
4 Meanwhile,forcream
cheeseicingbeatbutterand
sugarinanelectricmixerfitted
witha paddleattachmentuntil
lightandfluffy(3minutes).
Addcreamcheeseandbeat
untilwellcombined(1 minute).
Refrigerate,if needed,tofirm
toa spreadingconsistency.
5 Spreadhalftheicingon
topofeachcakethenstack
onecakeontopoftheother.
Scatterwithcandiedwalnuts
and slice cake to serve.●Treslechescake
SERVES8-10// PREPTIME 15 MINS// COOK 45 (PLUSCOOLING)
“Thiscakeis a popularstaffdessertandwasfirstmade
bya PeruvianpastrychefwhoworkedatSixpenny seven
yearsago,”says Puskas.Pictured p90
6 eggs
165 gmcastersugar
1 tspvanillaextract
150 gm(1cup)plainflour
1/8 tspsalt
395 gmcancondensedmilk
375 mlcanevaporatedmilk
375 mlpurecream
600 mlthickenedcream
Ground cinnamon, to dust
1 Preheatovento180°C.
2 Whiskeggsandsugarin
a largeheatproofbowlsetover
a saucepanofbarelysimmering
water(don’tletthebowltouch
thewater)untilmixtureis thick,
paleandwarm(7-8minutes).
Transfermixturetothebowl
ofanelectricmixer,addvanilla
andwhiskuntilthickandpale
andmixtureformsa ribbontrail
when whisk is lifted (5-6mins).
3 Siftflourandsaltoverthe
eggmixtureinthreebatches,
gentlyfoldingaftereachbatch
untilcombined.Pourmixture
intoa 23cmsquarecakepan
andbakeuntilcakesprings
backwhenlightlypressed
inthecentre(35minutes).
4 Combinecondensedand
evaporatedmilkandpure
creamina jug.Prickcakeall
overwitha fineskewer,then
pourmilkmixturealloverthe
cake.Refrigerateuntilcool
andmilkmixturehasabsorbed
intocake(2hours).
5 Whipthickenedcreamuntil
softpeaks.Spreadcreamover
cakeandsmooththesurface.
Dustwithcinnamonbefore
spooning into bowlsto serve.