With the end of lockdown insight, we tested our baking skills to celebrate, and there is nothing like a bit of comfort coking to pass the time! We tried Flora’s Easy Carrot Cake and Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake which are the perfect sweet treast for seeing out the remainder of lockdown.
Here are the recipes:
Easy Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS
Carrot Cake:
- 250g plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 120g white sugar
- 120g brown sugar
- 230g Flora Buttery
- 250g carrots, grated
- 100g plain yogurt
- 4 eggs
- 80g pecans, chopped
- 100g raisins or sultanas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp mixed spice
Cream cheese frosting:
- 340g cream cheese
- 140g Flora Buttery, fridge temperature
- 200g icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pecan nuts (to decorate)
METHOD
Carrot Cake:
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
- Melt Flora Buttery and set aside. Peel and grate the carrots, set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, white and brown sugar, and the spices (cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice).
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, melted Flora Buttery and yogurt into the mixture. Whisk it all together.
- Mix in grated carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.
- Divide mixture between two greased and bottom lined 20cm sandwich tins.
- Bake for approximately 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again.
- When fully cooked, turn out and leave to cool in the tins.
Cream cheese frosting:
- Prepare the icing by beating together the Flora spread, icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the cream cheese. Continue to whisk until the frosting thickens to a stiff consistency. Chill until needed.
- Sandwich together the 2 layers of cake with half of the cream cheese frosting.
- Top with the remaining icing and decorate with chopped pecan nuts.
Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the sponge:
- 200 grams Flora Original
- 300 grams golden caster sugar
- 200 grams soya yogurt, room temperature
- 200 grams dairy-free milk, room temperature
- fresh red fruits (optional)
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 400 grams self-raising flour
- lemon zest
For the buttercream:
- 150 grams Flora Original, fridge temperature
- 200 grams icing sugar
- jam (strawberry/raspberry/blackberry)
METHOD
The sponge:
- Heat oven to 180°C / 350F / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two round 20cm or 22cm cake tins.
- Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and set aside. Zest the lemon and set aside.
- In a food mixer, beat the Flora Original and sugar for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
- In another bowl, mix together the yogurt, milk, vanilla seeds and lemon zest.
- Take a third of the yogurt mixture and a third of the flour. Fold in gently to the spread and sugar mix, using a spatula.
- Repeat the process 2 more times until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Divide the mixture between the two tins.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted skewer or knife comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool down for 15 minutes in the tin. Then place onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
The filling:
- To make the buttercream, beat the Flora spread, icing sugar and lemon zest in a food mixer for 3-4 minutes until very light and fluffy.
- When the cakes are completely cool, spread the jam over the bottom cake. Top it with the fluffy buttercream.
- Carefully sandwich the two cakes, and sprinkle the top with icing sugar. You can decorate the cake with some fresh red fruits.
- Enjoy!
