How has your weekend been? Mine has been a pretty relaxed one if I’m honest which has been really lovely. If you follow this blog regularly you’ll know that my husband and I started a business together last year, and it has been a long and slow road. But it launched this past week, so I have been a little stressed (to say the least). So a chance to relax and chill is just what I needed.

We were staying over for a review at a cute cottage in Kent (blog post to come), and it was decorated in such a lovely Scandi kind of way. There were some cute books about hygge around the cottage too, so I had a read (as we were child-free). And I am so in the mood for this time of year and all things cosy. Candles, blankets, fluffy socks, fires, marshmallows, and plenty of cake; it is a must at this time of year, right? When it is cold outside, it is time to stay warm and cosy inside. Plus, just because bake off has finished, it doesn’t meant that you can’t have some tasty cake recipes in your life.

This one is moist and delicious and is really easy to make. It will be a hit with your family and friends, and will be perfect for a cosy treat or dessert, and go wonderfully with a warm drink too. 

Carrot and Courgette Cake

Serves 14

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 150g butter (I used dairy-free)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 340g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder
• 1 heaped tsp ground ginger
• 225g light muscovado or soft brown sugar
• 200g British organic carrots, peeled and grated
• 150g courgettes, grated

For the Frosting:

• 200g low fat soft cheese
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract
• 1 small organic carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp light muscovado or soft brown sugar

What To Do:

1. Preheat the oven to fan 180°C (fan oven 160° or Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 23cm square cake tins with baking paper, using a little butter or oil.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, without letting it get too hot. Remove from the heat, then add the orange juice and beaten eggs. Reserve the orange zest for the frosting.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and ground ginger in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, organic carrots and courgettes, then add the melted mixture and stir together well.
4. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out carefully. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Make the frosting by beating the low fat soft cheese, vanilla extract and reserved orange zest together. Spread on top of the cooled cake. Put the grated organic carrot into a frying pan with the sugar and heat gently to melt and caramelise. Cool, then scatter over the cake.

Cook’s tip: Keep the cake refrigerated, though serve at room temperature. You can freeze the cake for up to 2 months without the frosting.

What is one of your favourite sweet treats to have at this time of year? It would be great to hear what you think.

*collaborative post