This is a festive spin on a classic recipe and a delicious alternative to the traditional Christmas fruit cake. It's spiced with fresh ginger and layered with creamy frosting and luscious Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve. 

Christmas Carrot Cake

Christmas Carrot Cake

Ingredients - for the cake:

- 200g dark brown sugar

- 50g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve

- 3 large eggs

- 225ml sunflower oil 

- 80g desiccated coconut 

- 250g carrot, coarsely grated

- 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground

- 200g self-raising wholemeal flour 

- 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- 3 tsp mixed spice

- Grated zest of 1 large orange 

Ingredients - For the frosting and filling:

- 250g tub mascarpone cheese

- 300ml carton extra thick double cream 

- 180g tub light soft cheese

- 2 tbsp icing sugar

- 150g Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve 

Method:

  1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 170°C, 150°C fan, gas 3. Line a 20cm round, 10cm deep cake tin with baking parchment. 
  2. With an electric whisk, beat together the sugar and conserve with the eggs and oil for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Stir in all the remaining ingredients until evenly mixed and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown and firm to the touch. 
  4. A skewer pushed into the centre should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out 
  5. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Put the mascarpone in a bowl and gradually beat in the cream with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth. Now beat in the soft cheese and icing sugar. Chill the mixture for 15 minutes. 
  6. Cut the cold cake into three layers. Set aside the top of the cake and spread the bottom and middle layer generously with the apricot conserve. Lightly dollop about a third of the frosting onto the conserve and spread evenly. Layer up the cake again and lightly cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Some of the cake should show through. 
Decorated with Gingerbread House
Decorated with Gingerbread House

How to decorate:

Make a mini gingerbread house using gingerbread biscuit dough. See our recipe for Spiced Gingerbread Wreath 

- Download a template or use gingerbread house cutters. 

- Spoon or pipe thick royal icing on the baked roof pieces to resemble snow.

- Assemble all the pieces with icing and leave to set. 

- Swirl the frosting on top of the cake to resemble thick snow drifts and pop on the mini house.

- Pick strong woody stems of fresh rosemary and turn upside down to resemble Christmas trees. Trim the tops and pull a few leaves off the base. Stick the stems into the cake. 

Cook's Tips:

- This cake will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. 

- The gingerbread houses can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container.

 

 

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