Carrot cake recipe translation please!

mrbadexample

:hello:

I've been threatening to make a carrot cake for ages, so I thought I'd have a bash today.

lil_me sent me a recipe that she got from Crazychik, so that's the credits taken care of.

This is it:

2 eggs
1/2 tea spoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tea spoon bicarb soda
2 medium carrots, peeled & roughly chopped (6-8oz)
185g butter/marg (i use vitalite) - melted
3/4 sugar (white or brown can be used) (6oz)
1 cup of s.r flour (can us wholemeal also, works better with brown sugar) (8oz)
1 cup of sultanas (optional) (4oz sultanas & 4oz walnuts)
or if you want to add walnuts, then add 1/2 cup & half cup of sultanas.

in the FP place the eggs, soda, cinnamon & carrots, whizz until a thick liquid is formed
add the melted butter & sugar
whizz
add flour, (fruit & nuts if your adding them)
whizz untill combined

place into a loaf size tin (i use 2 x 1lb loaf tins)

bake in moderate oven (gas mark 3) sorry, dont know number for electric, for about 50mins, or until cooked in the middle, by checking with a skewer!

It's not as bloke friendly as it could be, so can someone please tell me:

How big is a medium carrot? I think mine are small; I've got 8 about 4" long. How many should I use?

3/4 sugar? 3/4 of a what of sugar? Caster or granulated?

How much is a cupful? I need grams or ounces coz I've got lots of different cups.

I haven't got a food processor. I have got a stick bender. Can I get away with grating the carrot and then using that, or have I got to go out and buy an FP? :eek:

I've only got 2lb loaf tins. Do I need to double the quantities?

A moderate oven. About 160°C? (180°C)

I did push the boat out and get sultanas. And walnuts. :drool:

So, if someone can make this a little more bombproof, I'll be eating cake by teatime. :j

Cheers,
MBE

Oh yeah....buttercream icing was also mentioned, for the top. If someone tells me how to do it (and I've got the stuff), it'll get that too.

odds-n-sods

you need to use a measuring cup for the dry ingredients.

So it will be:
3/4 c of sugar = 6 oz. - doesn't matter which type.
1 cup flour = 8 oz.
1 cup sultanas = 8 oz.
1/2 cup walnuts - chop first = 4 oz.
I'd use 4 carrots, maybe 5.

Does that help? you can just mix it by hand - grate the carrots.

odds-n-sods

and creamcheese icing is better - 250g plain creamcheese and 1 cup icing sugar mixed together, can add some lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

lex

Ooo more cooking! Are we going to get pictures this time?

I'd use 4 carrots finely grated - no need for a food processor..

If you have a 2lb loaf tin you shouldn't have to double it, 2lb loaf tin is the same as 2 x 1lb loaf tins - might just have to cook a little longer..

Good luck!

lex

newleaf

I think the size of the cup is not an issue, as long as you use the same cup for measuring everything. So I'd just use a normal mug. Think it means 3/4 cup of sugar, I'd use brown myself, but whatever you've got will be fine.
Too much carrot is not going to be a problem either, I'd use 3 or 4 of the ones you've got. About 6-8 oz of grated carrot ought to be about right.
No need to buy a FP, just grate carrots and use a wooden spoon and your cider lifting arm. (Stick blender might work, but it might also get clogged and end up being a pain.)
The 2lb loaf tin should be fine, it may take a bit longer to cook through because the mixture will be deeper.
A moderate oven is about 180 C. Test it in the usual way, and if it's not done just bung it back in for longer. You might need to cover the top to protect it from burning.
Butter cream is just butter & icing sugar beaten together. You need the cake to be completely cooled before you apply it for obvious reasons. I don't like it personally, so I wouldn't bother, but it does look nice.
Looking forward to the pics! Enjoy.

Edit to add: It took me so long to type that, you've probably baked and eaten the cake already!

odds-n-sods

no, newleaf, it will make a difference. Most coffee cups are 6 oz. + if you use that, then the mix will be too wet as the egg can't be easily adjusted down. an american cup is 8 oz by volume. Using something smaller or larger wont' work.

mrbadexample

lex wrote: »

Ooo more cooking! Are we going to get pictures this time?

I'd use 4 carrots finely grated - no need for a food processor..

If you have a 2lb loaf tin you shouldn't have to double it, 2lb loaf tin is the same as 2 x 1lb loaf tins - might just have to cook a little longer..

Good luck!

lex

Ok, you might get a pic or two, but this afternoon I will mostly be watching every bit of the Rugby World Cup, so that takes priority.

4 carrots is good, coz then I can make two cakes.

And I misread the recipe. I thought it was just one 1lb loaf tin, which is why I asked if it wanted to be doubled. :doh:

mrbadexample

odds-n-sods wrote: »

and creamcheese icing is better - 250g plain creamcheese and 1 cup icing sugar mixed together, can add some lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Thanks for the help odds.

Creamcheese icing sounds nice, and I'd make it if I had any.

mrbadexample

Well, I'm just weighing this out, and I have to say it's a chuffing great cup that holds 8oz of flour! :rolleyes:

kazmeister

HI,

just been briefly reading your thread and its also 1 cup of sultanas, and its VERY unusual to have the same amount of sultanas as flour. Sounds bad to me.

newleaf

An American measuring cup holds 8 fluid ounces, not 8 ounces of flour.