PINEAPPLE AND CARROT CAKE

I really love pineapple in cakes and when you put pineapple with carrot, I think it is really something special. This is a really easy cake to make and it is packed with tonnes of flavour.  When I first made this cake, I recall that the recipe called for wholemeal flour.  I am not a fan of wholemeal flour so I have always made it with white flour.  This time however, I made it with gluten free flour.  I used the White Wings Gluten Free Self Raising Flour that comes in the orange pack.  It worked really well. There was no difference between the normal version and the gluten free version. If you like you can ice this with either a lemon glace icing or a cream cheese icing.  I like to serve it hot (zap in the microwave) with icecream.

PINEAPPLE AND CARROT CAKE (Can be Gluten Free)

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour (either normal or gluten free)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp bicarb soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 salt

2/3 cup oil (light olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil etc)
2 eggs
1 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup crushed pineapple

1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
2. Place all the ingredients in the bowl with the kneading blade, in the order specified.
3. Select Pastry P1 for 1min.
4. After 30 sec pause the machine and scrape down the sides. Resume program.
5. When program is complete, pour the batter into the tin and level off.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

CARROT & ZUCHINNI CAKE WITH MAPLE SYRUP ICING

What is going on with kids these days?  Everywhere I turn, parents are trying to get vegetables into their little darlings.  I suppose I was lucky in that I had two kids who ate every vegetable that I put in front of them.  So, for those parents who are struggling to get their little ones to eat delicious (yes - I did say delicious kids!) and nutritious veggies, I have conjured up this cake.  It was actually meant to be a completely different cake, made from a recipe from a friend's grandmother.  However, I am not always known for my attention to detail and I failed to read the recipe properly and I ended up making a cake that is absolutely nothing like the recipe.  In fact, it is so far removed from that recipe that I can now put my hand on my heart and say that I created this one! I have already tasted it and I have to say that it turned out to be a delicious accident.  I hope you enjoy it and most of all, I hope your kids are deceived :-)

CARROT & ZUCHINNI CAKE WITH MAPLE SYRUP ICING 

Cake 

125g unsalted butter diced

250g carrot grated

zuchinni 1 medium grated

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour

1 tsp of mixed spice

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

1/2 chopped walnuts (extra to decorate)

1. Grease and line a 24cm tin (I used a springform tin). Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
2. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 4 Temp 80 degrees Time 2 minutes.

3. Place grated vegetables either into some muslin, an unused Chux or a fine sieve and squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the vegetables.
4. Place all ingredients in the jug. Select Pastry P1 Time 1 minute.  Stop the machine after 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume the program.
5. When the program is complete, place batter in the prepared pan and smooth over the top with the back of a spoon or with a palette knife.

6. Place the cake on the centre rack in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean or with crumbs.
7. When cooked remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cake cooler.
8. Once the cake is cool, place it on a plate and cover the top with icing and decorate with extra chopped walnuts.

Maple Syrup Icing 
2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1 tbsp water

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 8 for 20 seconds. Stop the machine after 10 seconds and scrape down the sides of the jug and then resume program.
2. Apply icing to the cake.

NOTE - I used a 24cm springform tin and the cake took 40 minutes to cook. I overestimated the amount of batter.  I would recommend that if you want a taller cake, then use a 20-22cm cake tin and increased the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.