BEETROOT AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Makes 16
250g beetroot, cooked and pureed
250ml castor sugar
3 eggs, beaten
5ml vanilla extract
180ml sunflower oil
250ml flour
10ml baking powder
125ml cocoa powder
Icing
375ml sifted icing sugar
water to mix
3ml vanilla extract
a few drops of red food colouring
Mix together the beetroot puree, sugar, eggs, vanilla and oil (quite a runny mixture).
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa and add to the beetroot mixture.
Spoon the mixture into paper-lined muffin pans and bake at 180ºC for 20-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool and then top with icing.
ICING: Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a stiff icing. Add the vanilla and a few drops of colouring if desired.
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MIXED VEGETABLE SLAB CAKE
Great to use up spare vegetables
3 eggs
375ml light brown sugar
125ml oil
5ml vanilla extract
250ml cake flour
250ml wholewheat flour
3ml salt
7ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml ground cinnamon
3ml ground ginger
750ml grated mixed vegetables (carrots, courgettes, parsnips and apple)
Icing
80g butter
125g thick cream cheese
500ml icing sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla extract
Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the oil and vanilla.
Sift the flours, salt, bicarbonate of soda and spices and add. Mix to combine. Add the grated vegetables and mix.
Spoon the mixture into a 20cm square cake pan which has been lined with non-stick baking paper and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 180ºC for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out. When the cake is cool completely, spread with the icing and cut into squares.
ICING: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add icing sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
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PARSNIP CAKE WITH NUT CRUMBLE
500ml flour
10ml baking powder
3ml salt
7ml ground cinnamon
3ml ground nutmeg
3ml ground cloves
3ml ground allspice
3 eggs
125ml sunflower oil
60ml milk
7ml vanilla extract
500ml grated parsnips
125ml chopped pecan nuts
Topping
50g butter
50ml brown sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
125ml chopped pecan nuts
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a bowl.
Beat together the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla and stir this into the dry ingredients.
Mix in the parsnips.
Pour the mixture into a greased and base-lined 20cm spring form cake pan. Sprinkle the nuts on top. Bake at 180ºC for 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and quickly spread with the nut topping mixture. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 more minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
TOPPING: Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon well. Stir in the nuts.
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COURGETTE AND CRANBERRY LOAF
660ml flour
7ml bicarbonate of soda
2.5ml baking powder
10ml ground cinnamon
375ml brown sugar
4 eggs
180ml sunflower oil
10ml vanilla extract
500ml grated courgettes
50g chopped pecan nuts
125ml dried cranberries
Lemon icing
lemon juice to mix
180ml sifted icing sugar
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in the sugar.
Combine the eggs, oil and vanilla and stir into the flour mixture.
Add the courgettes, nuts and cranberries and mix well.
Pour the mixture into a 13x22cm loaf pan which has been base-lined and sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 160ºC for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Remove and turn out on to a cooling rack, While still warm, drizzle with lemon icing.
LEMON ICING: Add enough lemon juice to the icing sugar to make a stiff icing.
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CARROT CAKE
500ml brown sugar
375ml sunflower oil
4 eggs
5ml vanilla extract
750ml cake flour
5ml salt
12.5ml bicarbonate of soda
15ml ground cinnamon
250ml chopped pecan nuts
375ml desiccated coconut
500ml carrot puree
180ml crushed pineapple, drained
Icing
80g butter
125g thick cream cheese
625ml sifted icing sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
10ml grated orange rind
20ml orange juice
Beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl.
Sift the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon and add to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Stir in the nuts, coconut, carrot and pineapple and mix well.
Pour the batter into a well greased 25cm ring pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out. When completely cool, spread with the icing.
ICING: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar, lemon and orange rind and mix well. Mix in enough orange juice for a spreadable consistency. - The Star