Recipe: Mini Carrot Cake treats

"These lovely little carrot cakes are perfect to finish off a barbecue or any casual food event," said Mercy Fenton in her weekly column. "They are moist and tasty and feel a little extra special because of the addition of olive oil and pistachios. They will keep well for two to three days in a sealed container in the fridge."

Mini Carrot Cakes with Olive Oil and Pistachios

Ingredients

300ml oat milk

1 tbsp Lemon juice

1½ tsp white vinegar

240gr cream flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

3 free range eggs

300gr caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

213gr extra virgin olive oil

300gr shredded carrots

125gr finely chopped pistachios - keep back a few pistachios

Method;

• Butter the sides of a 9” x 13” deep tin and line the base with parchment paper.
• Preheat oven to 175C.
• In a small bowl or a measuring cup, mix oat milk with the lemon juice and vinegar.
• Using a hand whisk, mix the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and the baking powder.
• Place the three eggs, the sugar and the vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment whisk at high speed for about five minutes until it thickens.
• With the mixer running, start slowly drizzling the olive oil in a thin stream.
• Once combined, slowly add the coconut milk mixture and mix well.
• Fold in the flour then gently mix in shredded carrots.
• Add the chopped pistachios, making sure every thing is well mixed in.
• Pour batter evenly into your cake pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean after you insert it through the centre.
• After it cools down for a few minutes, invert cake onto a large wire rack and peel off the parchment paper.
• Once cool, cut the cake using a small cookie cutter. Cut them as close as you can so that you can get the most disks.
• You can use the trimmings to make a pudding like bread and butter, using cake instead of bread

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

60gr butter, softened

300gr cream cheese

150gr icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence.

Method:

• Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat until soft and light.
• Add the cream cheese and beat for about four or five minutes.
• Decrease speed to the lowest and gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla.
• Pipe a little frosting on each mini cake and sprinkle with pistachios.
• Serve at room temperature.