Nearly No Fruit Carrot Cake

It's no secret that I have a sweet tooth, and I have something of a long term affair going on with Carrot Cake.  From my childhood curiosity of this apparently strange creation to conversations with fellow bakers about whether it should contain fruit or nuts, or both; I'll always find myself deeply satisfied when I'm enjoying a slice of it.

There are many variations of Carrot Cake, and mine doesn't feature any Dates or Figs as I've never liked them.  Instead, I load up on good old walnuts and of course plenty of carrot.  I also bake mine with added mashed banana because there's nothing more depressing than a dry Carrot Cake; it has to be soft and moist IMO.

Ingredients:-
- 225g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 150g soft light brown sugar
- 100g chopped walnuts (plus a handful for the top)
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 2 small very ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs
- 125ml sunflower oil
- 175g soft cream cheese
- 175g icing sugar, sifted

How to:-
1.  Lightly grease an 18cm round cake tin, ideally with a loose, springform bottom.  Cut out a circle of baking or greaseproof paper and place it inside.  Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas 4.
2.  Mix together the flour, baking powder, chopped walnuts and brown sugar in a large bowl.
3.  Squeeze out as much water from the grated carrots as possible (using your hands is easiest) and add them to bowl, then mix in the mashed bananas.
4.  Beat the eggs and oil together and then pour them into the mixture, beating well with a wooden spoon.
5.  Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, making sure to level it out.  Cook for around 1-1/4 hours, until a skewer pushed in the middle comes out clean.  Carefully remove cake from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
6.  Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together, and spread evenly over the top of the cake.  Sprinkle on the extra chopped walnuts and pop into the fridge for about an hour to allow the topping to set before serving.

Giant Chocolate & Cherry Cake-Cookies

'Cake-Cookies' are something that my sister and I used to make on rainy days when we were kids.  As the name suggests, they are a combination of cake (as these have a slightly spongey centre) and cookie (with a slightly crunchy outside).

Makes 8

Ingredients:-
- 125g unsalted butter at room temp
- 120g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 220g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 100g glacier cherries
- 75g milk chocolate, broken up into small chunks

How to:-
1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Combined the butter and sugar in a bowl.  Add one of the eggs, making sure to beat it in the mixture thoroughly before adding the second egg. 
3. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing well.  Add the rest of the ingredients (cocoa powder, cherries and chocolate chunks) and again mix well.
4. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.  Using two spoons, heap the mixture into 8 portions onto the tray and slightly flatten out evenly, leaving space for the mixture to spread a little as it cooks.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes and allow to stand for 5-10 mins before serving.

The ultimate chocolate cake (it's vegan too!)

When I say 'ultimate' chocolate cake, that's exactly what I mean. If you're in need of a truly irresistible chocolate cake recipe, one that is moist, rich and seriously chocolatey, then give this a go. Just make sure you're first in line to get a slice before it's all gone!

Adapted from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch:-
Chocolate Suicide Cake

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:-
- 180ml rapeseed or safflower oil
- 260g wholemeal flour
- 300g unrefined light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of sea salt
- 200g vegan chocolate chips
- 300ml soy milk
- 180ml unsweetened apple sauce*
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 115g unsweetened vegan chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 500ml Chocolate Fudgy Frosting**

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*To Make Apple Sauce - (the easy way!)
Core, peel and chop three or four small apples. Place the pieces in a microwave-proof tub with a lid and add a few tablespoons of water and a little cinnamon if desired. Heat for about five minutes on full. Transfer to a bowl and use a hand blender to pulp until smooth, adding a little more water if needed. Done!
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How To:-
1. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Oil a 32.5cm x 23cm baking pan, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir in the the chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, soy milk, apple sauce and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Place to one side.
4. Heat water in a saucepan and keep it gently simmering. Place a heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan and put the chopped chocolate in the bowl. As it melts, stir slowly until smooth.
5. Add the oil mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until its a smooth consistency. Now add the melted chocolate, again stirring until everything is smooth and then stir in the vinegar.
6. Transfer the mixture to the oiled baking pan and smooth over the surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
7. Let it cool thoroughly before frosting.

**Chocolate Fudgy Frosting (makes about a litre, or you could use the whole lot to very generously cover the cake)
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons rapeseed oil or refined coconut oil
- 200g unrefined light brown sugar
- 175g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 240ml soy cream or plain soy yoghurt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt

1. In a medium saucepan over a medium heat, melt the oil. Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder and then gradually stir in the soy cream.
2. Now stir almost constantly until the mixture is smooth and hot but don't allow to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
3. Set aside to cool to room temperature or until thick enough to spread.

Notes: When sifting the wholemeal flour, really sift it thoroughly. If desired, discard the larger flakes left at the end and pop into your compost bin. I feel that this stopped the cake from turning into a bread but this is down to personal preference. With regards to the frosting, I didn't have any soy cream so I substituted it with plain soy yoghurt (Alpro works very well) and added a small bit at a time until I got the right texture and thickness. It seems that the bitterness of the dark chocolate I used, counteracted any tartness from the yoghurt and thus worked perfectly.