Easter carrot patch traybake

Name: Easter carrot patch traybake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 125 g dark brown soft sugar; 175 g golden caster sugar; 300 ml sunflower oil; 3 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Eggs; 300 g plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground ginger; 275 g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated; 75 g walnuts, chopped; 2 x 105g packs Elizabeth Shaw Cappuccino Flutes, or 2 x 114g packs chocolate fingers; Cooks’ Ingredients Carrot Icing Decorations (or make your own from orange and green fondant icing); 100 g full fat soft cheese; 30 g unsalted butter, softened; 200 g icing sugar; 100 g caster sugar; 75 g dark chocolate, chopped

This recipe by Martha Collison is a Peter Rabbit haven. It's a fun way to jazz up a carrot traybake, and would be a fantastic children’s birthday cake, too. Try making your own vegetables from fondant if you feel creative.

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Serves12
CourseDessert
Prepare45 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time1 hr 25 mins

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Ingredients

125g dark brown soft sugar
175g golden caster sugar
300ml sunflower oil
3 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Eggs
300g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
275g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
75g walnuts, chopped
2 x 105g packs Elizabeth Shaw Cappuccino Flutes, or 2 x 114g packs chocolate fingers
Cooks’ Ingredients Carrot Icing Decorations (or make your own from orange and green fondant icing)
100g full fat soft cheese
30g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar
100g caster sugar
75g dark chocolate, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas mark 3. Line a 23x33cm tray with baking parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugars, oil and eggs together until smooth. Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and ½ tsp salt, then beat until well mixed.
Stir in the carrots and walnuts until evenly dispersed. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
To make the icing, use an electric whisk to blend the soft cheese and butter together. Add the icing sugar in a few separate stages until it is all combined, then whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is thick, pale and light.
For the chocolate soil, combine the caster sugar and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until the edges of the sugar syrup turn to a pale brown colour. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, then stir vigorously until a soil-like powder forms. Spread onto a baking tray and leave to cool completely.
Place the cake onto a serving board and spread the top and sides with cream cheese icing. If needed, cut the chocolate sticks/fingers into lengths about the same depth as the cake, then use them to cover the outside edges to make a fence. Sprinkle the chocolate soil over the cake, then nestle in the fondant carrots. This cake will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.