Name: Carrot Cake by Raymond Blanc
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 150g light brown sugar; 2 eggs, medium; 50g marzipan; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or good-quality vanilla extract); 150ml sunflower oil; 150g plain flour, sifted; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 150g carrots, grated; 50g sultanas; 80g cream cheese; 30g unsalted butter, softened; 80g icing sugar; 20g chopped dried cranberries, pistachios, pecan nuts and grated orange zest to decorate

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Carrot Cake by Raymond Blanc

Serves: 8-10

Chef: Raymond Blanc

Course: Dessert

Category: Cakes

Machine: Food Processor

Total time: 75

At first, you may think – a cake made from carrots, how will that work? Yet it does, with the vegetable bringing its own sweetness, You may also wish to add a little orange zest or your preferred spices – replacing the ginger and cinnamon with, perhaps, cumin, allspice or cardamom. When it's uniced, the cake can be stored in the freezer for up to a month and then iced once it's thoroughly defrosted.

Ingredients

For the carrot cake:

150g light brown sugar
2 eggs, medium
50g marzipan
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or good-quality vanilla extract)
150ml sunflower oil
150g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
150g carrots, grated
50g sultanas

For the icing and topping:

80g cream cheese
30g unsalted butter, softened
80g icing sugar

Optional:

20g chopped dried cranberries, pistachios, pecan nuts and grated orange zest to decorate

Tools

MultiPro XL Weigh +

Method

For the carrot cake:

Preheat the oven to 170ºC.
Line a 26 x 9 x 8cm terrine mould (or a 900g loaf tin) with baking parchment, leaving an overhang of paper so that the cake can be easily removed once it’s cooked.
In a Kenwood food processor with the blade attachment, and on a high speed, whisk together the sugar, eggs, marzipan and vanilla paste (or vanilla extract) for about 4 minutes, until smooth and light. Continue mixing and pour in the sunflower oil in a steady stream.
Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and spices and sift. Remove the lid of the Kenwood food processor and carefully add the sifted flour mixture.
On a low speed, gently incorporate the flour into the cake batter.
Attach the grater attachment and grate in the carrot.
Using a small spatula, fold in the sultanas and pour the mixture into the lined terrine mould (or loaf tin).
Bake for 45 minutes. Check the cake is cooked by inserting the blade of a paring knife into the centre – the blade should come out clean. (For greater accuracy, insert a probe into the centre of the cake – it should read 76°C - 82ºC.)
Remove the cake from the oven and turn it out of the mould. Leave it to cool on a wire rack. (It is important to turn it out of the mould immediately so that it doesn’t steam inside the mould and become dense in texture).
Increase the oven temperature to 180°C. Place the nuts on a baking tray and transfer them to the oven for 6-8 minutes until toasted to your liking. Leave them to cool to room temperature and keep to one side.

For the icing:

Place the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar in the Kenwood food processor with the blade attachment and beat together until smooth.

Decorating the cake:

Once the cakes are completely cool, use a palette knife to spread the icing on top of each loaf. Finish by scattering over a few chopped cranberries, pistachios, pecans or simply some grated orange zest.