11

126 GOURMET TRAVELLER

Carrot cupcakes with cream-cheese icing

SERVES 18 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 40 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

The combination of cinnamon, orange zest and the creamy icing that typifi es carrot cake warms many

hearts. These bite-sized cupcakes stay true to the original, with a crisp carrot topping thrown in for

crunch. Make a big batch for a birthday party or tuck them into lunchboxes. Pictured p125.

Finely grated zest of

1 orange

Scraped seeds of

½ vanilla bean

300 gm caster sugar

280 gm plain fl our

1½ tbsp ground cinnamon

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 eggs

240 ml olive oil

240 gm coarsely grated carrot

(about 3 large carrots)

100 gm coarsely grated zucchini

(about 1 small zucchini)

60 gm walnuts, coarsely

chopped, plus extra fi nely

grated, to serve

50 gm currants

CANDIED CARROT

200 gm caster sugar

2 carrots, peeled into strips

CREAM-CHEESE ICING

250 gm cream cheese, softened

90 gm butter, softened

230 gm pure icing sugar, sifted

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Scraped seeds of

½ vanilla bean

1 For candied carrot, preheat

oven to 120°C. Bring sugar and

200ml water to the boil in a

saucepan, stirring to dissolve,

then cool. Add carrot to syrup

and stand for 1 minute, then

drain well and spread evenly

over a large oven tray lined

with baking paper. Bake until

crisp (15-20 minutes), then cool.

2 Increase oven to 175°C. Line

a 3⁄4-cup 12-hole muffi n tin with

paper cases. Rub orange zest

and vanilla into sugar in a bowl.

Sift fl our, cinnamon, baking

powder and bicarbonate of

soda into a separate bowl.

Place eggs in an electric mixer,

whisk to combine, then with the

motor running, slowly add the

sugar mixture until pale, creamy

and doubled in size. Add oil,

whisking just to combine, then

immediately turn off the mixer.

Fold in fl our mixture, followed

by carrot, zucchini, walnuts

and currants. Divide batter

among paper cases and bake

until golden and centre springs

back when lightly pressed

(12-15 minutes). Cool.

3 For cream-cheese icing, beat

cream cheese and butter in an

electric mixer fi tted with the

paddle attachment until pale

and fl uff y. Add sugar, zest and

vanilla and beat until combined.

4 Spread icing over cupcakes

and top with grated walnut and

candied carrot. Cupcakes will

keep refrigerated in an airtight

container for a week.

Almond and hokey-pokey ice-cream sponge roll

SERVES 14-18 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 12 MINS (PLUS COOLING, FREEZING)

Sponge roll is not only quick to bake, it’s all wrapped up and ready to go well ahead

of time. Begin this recipe a day ahead to set the sponge roll. Pictured p122.

50 gm confectionery

honeycomb, chopped into

small pieces, plus extra to

serve (see note)

1 litre good-quality vanilla

ice-cream

Whipped cream (optional),

to serve

ALMOND SPONGE

90 gm (¾ cup) almond meal

65 gm plain fl our

50 gm roasted almonds

150 gm (2⁄3 cup) caster sugar

4 eggwhites

75 gm (1⁄3 cup) raw sugar

1 For almond sponge, preheat

oven to 160°C. Grease a 23cm

x 33cm Swiss roll tin and line

it with baking paper. Pulse

almond meal, fl our, almonds,

90gm caster sugar and a pinch

of salt in a food processor until

combined and almonds are

chopped. Whisk eggwhites

in an electric mixer until soft

peaks form, then gradually

add remaining caster sugar

and whisk until a smooth glossy

meringue (6 minutes). Gently

fold in almond-meal mixture,

then spread batter evenly in

prepared tin and bake until

light golden and fi rm to touch

(8-12 minutes). Cover with a

tea towel and cool completely.

2 Sprinkle raw sugar over

a large sheet of baking paper

placed on 2 overlapping larger

sheets of foil. Invert sponge onto

sugar, remove tray and peel off

baking paper.

3 Beat ice-cream in a bowl

until spreadable, then, working

quickly, spread it over two-thirds

of the sponge lengthways and

press honeycomb evenly into

the surface. Rolling away from

you, and using the foil to lift and

roll over, wrap the sponge into

a log shape, then gently twist

the ends of the foil to secure.

Freeze until fi rm (overnight).

4 Serve sponge roll in slices

topped with extra honeycomb.

Sponge roll will keep frozen

in an airtight container for a

week (honeycomb may begin

to weep after 2 days).

Note Honeycomb (the crunchy,

confectionery kind) is available

from select supermarkets

and confectionaries.