Happy Birthday, Husband

This is another post I wrote at the start of the year and never published.   Well, I have now!  Happy Belated Birthday Babe.

Sunday: As previously mentioned in my February Specials ramble it is Brian's birthday this week and to that end I have been planning the making of his birthday cake.  I love making cakes and any excuse to make a treat for someone I love is good with me!  

When asked for ideas on what kind of cake he wanted the soon to be Birthday Boy was not slow at all in requesting carrot cake... so that is what he is getting!  I have already planned far enough in advance to have emailed Clementine and asked for extra carrots in this weeks produce box and the rest of the shopping will be done tomorrow and then Tuesday will be the day of the big bake.  Wednesday is Birthday!

Monday:  The produce box has arrived!  And not only does it contain the carrots as requested but a chilli for Brian too as the ladies in the shop know that he loves them.  Thanks!

Tuesday:  So, it is cake making day.  I have assembled my ingredients, broken an egg in error and it's time to get cracking.  The recipe I am using is a Hairy Bikers one as I love them and this has been described as a lighter than your average carrot cake, which sounds good to me.  It also comes with the suggestion of orange cream cheese frosting which sounds delicious!  

The recipe:  

200g/7oz self-raising flour
75g/3oz sultanas
75g/3oz pecans, broken into rough pieces
1 large orange zest only
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ whole nutmeg, finely grated (I estimated this to be about half a tea spoon full as I had grated nutmeg, not whole)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch fine sea salt
3 free-range eggs
175ml/6fl oz sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
175g/6oz soft light brown sugar
200g/7oz carrots, grated
100g/3½oz icing sugar
100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp fresh orange juice
200g/7oz full-fat cream cheese

And the method:

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 4.  Grease two seven inch round tins and leave them to the side.   Combine the flour, sultanas, pecans, half of the orange zest, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl .  in the mixer (if you have one) cbat the eggs until smooth and add the sunflower oil and sugar and whisk until well combined.  To this mixture add the flour mix slowly and let to combine.  Then add the carrots.   

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins and smooth the surfaces. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is well risen and feels springy to the touch. 

Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for five minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and set aside to cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the butter and orange juice. Beat together with a large wooden spoon until light and creamy. Add the cream cheese and the rest of the orange zest and beat until smooth. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm enough to spread.

Spread the icing over the cake and sprinkle with extra pecans (I skipped this bit as I had other plans). And you're done!

Remember I said I had other plans instea dof the pecans?  Well, instead of pecans I added  a dog, a fire pit, a chickem, a sword, an axe and a Viking.  As you do...

So, Happy Birthday Brian.  Happy cake.