Lunchbox baking- spiced carrot cake

Another goodie for the lunchboxes- a spiced carrot cake that tastes delish!

I took Angry Chicken's lead and followed her changes from the original Martha recipe, including:

- using 1/4 cup melted butter instead of the oil
- using 1/2 teaspoon of my spice mix for the spices (cinnamon and nutmeg)
- using a mix of 1/2 cup white and 1/2 cup white wholemeal flour.

I didnt worry about the glaze as it just maks the lunchbox sticky and messy.

(i love recipes with 2 eggs- saves fights!)

  

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan
1 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 cup finely shredded, packed (about 2 medium) carrots
Quick Glaze, or confectioners' sugar

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Brush loaf cake pan with oil. Place a round of waxed or parchment paper in the bottom; brush with oil, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cardamom, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, yogurt, and oil until smooth. Gently mix egg mixture into dry ingredients until moistened; mix in carrots. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

3.Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes (if browning too quickly, tent cake with aluminum foil). Cool in pan, 15 minutes. Turn out of pan, remove paper, and cool completely on a rack, right side up. Apply glaze, or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Enjoy!
Rebecca ox

Baking on a cold summer's day

This unusally cold weather for February is crazy- but making me want to bake! Thanks to Sarah for this amazing banana cake recipe (via Women's Weekly Cook Book)- I couldn't wait for it to cool down to ice it. Delish!

 My two little helpers:

Banana Cake with passionfruit icing



125g Butter, softened
3/4 cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups (225g) Self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
1/4 cup (60ml) milk

Passionfruit Icing
1 1/2 cups (240g) icing sugar
1 teaspoon soft butter
2 tablespoons passionfruit pulp, approximately

Preheat oven to moderate (180/160 degrees fan-forced)
Grease 15cm x 25cm loaf pan; line base with baking paper
Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy
Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined
Transfer mixture to large bowl
Using wooden spoon, stir in sifted dry ingredients, banana, cream and milk
Spread mixture into pan
Bake, uncovered, about 50 minutes
Stand cake 5 minutes then turn onto wire rack; turn cake top-side up to cool
Place icing sugar in small heatproof bowl.Spread cold cake with passionfruit icing

Stir in butter and enough pulp to give a firm paste
Stir over hot water until icing is of a spreadable consistency, taking care not to overheat

Enjoy,

Rebecca ox

Paper Doll Nursery

I had the pleasure of putting together an {Inspiration Board} for a lovely lady who was looking to set up her little girl's nursery. She had seen some of the other rooms I had put together [here] and wanted me to do something similar for her. Um yes please!
She wanted something pretty, feminine but not owls, birds or princess! A Paper Doll theme immediately sprung to mind, inspired by the amazing pattern botique Oliver + S. Even if you are not a sewer, do yourself a favour and head over and check out their beautiful site and creations [here].
Here is my {Inspiration Board} for the Paper Doll theme, complete with links where to but all of the goodies listed below. I always include Porter’s Paint colours in the boards to help clients with colour choices for the walls and other features in the room. Check out their amazing range (and paint names too!)[here].

Pompoms: Little Spunky Monkey  | Wall Decals: Mae | Personalised Print: Kathy Panton |
Cot Quilt: BabyRoo | Crochet Beanie: AnK Bowtique | Lamp: Carousel Designs |Softie: Mulberry Road

Cushion: Kido Store | Rug: Kidzone | Basket: Kido Store |
Rebecca ox