Chai Spiced Carrot Cake

Chai Spiced Carrot Cake

Recipie by: Jamie Oliver
Chosen by: Nerd Consultant Calvin

For last month’s group I had to give a presentation but I still had time to make some cakes and this one intrigued me. I’m not exactly a person who enjoys a cup of tea and that’s no exception when it comes to Indian chai tea but at the same time I love the flavours of India especially after being in the country for nearly a month in 2014. This cake took my eye as it seemed a great mix of the flavours of India with a British classic. Looks hard but really isn’t.

Ingredients

250 ml vegetable oil , plus extra for greasing
4 large carrots
1 large lemon
100 g currants or sultanas
100 g pecans
280 g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground anise
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons candied ginger in syrup
1 black tea bag
2 large free-range eggs
200 g caster sugar
200 g light brown sugar
30 g flaked coconut

for the
CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

200 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
200 g cream cheese
15 g icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Grease a 30 x 20cm traybake tin with veg oil and line with baking paper.

2. Peel and grate the carrots and lemon zest into a large bowl, mix in the currants or sultanas, then roughly chop and add the pecans, then set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ½ a teaspoon of sea salt, and the spices, Dice and add the ginger, then add the leaves from the tea bag and mix well.

4. Add the eggs, both sugars and the veg oil to a mixing jug, then pour the mixture over the carrots, mixing to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix briefly or until just combined.

5. Pour the batter into your pan and bake in the oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. For the buttercream, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy, about 5 minutes.

7. Add the cream cheese and beat until just combined. Next, add the icing sugar and beat again until smooth (don’t over-mix it as your icing will be runny.) Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, then spoon the buttercream over the cake and spread out evenly.

8. Place the coconut into a dry frying pan over a medium heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally.

9. Scatter it over the iced cake, then serve.