Hailstone storm in October and a recipe for carrot cake

It was a glorious sunny October day, we had just planted our winter lettuces when without warning “cataplun” a loud thunder and hailstone galore everywhere.  It was unbelievable how soon the weather changed from our late Indian summer to a winter storm.

We had to come in because of the ferocity of the storm, but we took advantage to warm ourselves up making a delicious carrot and cinnamon cake with the freshly collected carrots from the garden.   This is a great recipe easy to make and fantastic to get your little ones to eat their carrots.  My little ones love making this cake and usually the cake disappears as soon as it arrives to the table!  

Carrot and cinnamon cake

For the cake you will need:

• 225g of self raising flour
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 150gr dark sugar
• 150gr carrots
• 2 medium eggs
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 3 tablespoons of milk

For the glazing you will need:

• 50g butter
• 2 tablespoons of orange juice
• ½ orange rind grated
• 225g icing sugar

To make the cake, place the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and mix.  Add the sugar and finely grated carrots.  Add the eggs, then the oil and milk.  Mix well until evenly blended.  You can do this with a mixer or with a wooden spoon. 

Place the mixture in a greased tin and bake in a previously heated oven.  Cook for 40 minutes at gas mark 4. 

To prepare the frosting, melt the butter with the orange juice and orange rind.  Add the icing sugar and mix well until you have a smooth paste.

Once your carrot cake has completely cooled down, swirl the frosting over the cake and that’s it, ready to eat!

Just in case you were wondering about our lettuces… they did survive the hailstone storm.