I developed this cake to celebrate the publication of my book
The Secret of the Golden Cauldron
It is a combination of carrot cake and courgette cake with added soft fruits to make up the colours of the rainbow. Although I say it myself it is delicious, even more so the next day when all the flavours have had time to to integrate giving it a flavour all of its own. Just like the colours of the rainbow converging to make white light.
Oven 180 C 160 Fan Gas 4
Cooking time 40 mins
You will need
2 x 8” sandwich tins oiled and lined
2 large mixing bowls
Aluminium foil to cover half way through cooking
Optional muslin cloth or clean J-cloth to strain the cream cheese.
Ingredients
Cake
200ml olive oil
3 eggs
275g flour
2tsp baking powder
75ml maple syrup
75g coconut sugar
200g spiralised or grated carrots
200g spiralised or grated courgettes
50g raisins
50g chopped strawberries + a few for decoration
50g blueberries + a few for decoration
150g chopped pecans + 6 for decoration
zest of half a lemon + some for decoration
zest of half an orange + some for decoration
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
For the frosting
200g cream cheese
30ml maple syrup
Zest half a lemon
Method
1. Put the oil in a large mixing bowl with the eggs, syrup and sugar. Beat them together
2. Mix the carrot, courgette blueberries and strawberries into the egg mixture
3. In a separate large mixing bowl seive the flour, baking powder, spice and cinnamon. Mix them together
4. Combine the two mixtures and gently fold together
5. When they are well combined divide them between the two 8” sandwich tins.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 40mins
After 20 minutes cover with aluminium foil to prevent burning
After 40 mins check with a skewer, if cooked remove from oven (leave for a few more minutes if not cooked)
Leave to cool in tins for 5 minutes
Transfer to a rack to cool.
Method for frosting
1. Place the cream cheese in the muslin cloth and squeeze over a bowl to remove any liquid
2. Place in a clean bowl and beat until creamy
3. Add lemon zest and maple syrup
4. Mix well
5. Place in fridge until needed
Putting it all together
1. Place one cake upside down on a plate
2. Spread half the cheese frosting over the surface
3. Place the other cake on top of the first over the frosting
4. Spread the rest of the frosting over the surface of the second cake
5. Decorate as desired