Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese is always such a winner! The carrot cake on it's own is great, but cover it in thick cream cheese icing and it is elevated to a whole new level of deliciousness! 

meg-made: Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting/Icing

I've always loved carrot cakes but it wasn't until this past weekend that I decided to try making a gluten free one, because I've always been a bit iffy on the GF flours. Until finding this recipe from Delicious Everyday that solved that problem but not using any! 

I've made my Orange & Almond cake so many times and love the consistency and flavour of this, and so when I found this carrot cake recipe, I thought it sounded similar, so I gave it a go. 

Ingredients

350g of carrots, peeled and tops removed (approx 5)

½ cup of pecans (I used walnuts)

5 large eggs

1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

250g (8.8 ounces) of ground almonds (almond meal)

220g (1/2 pound or 7.75 ounces) of brown sugar

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

¼ tsp of ground nutmeg

1 tsp of ground ginger

Cream Cheese Icing

250g (1/2 pound) of cream cheese, at room temperature

50g (1¾ ounces) of butter, at room temperature

100g (3.5 ounces) of icing sugar, sifted

zest and juice of half a lemon, or to taste

Instructions:

1. Grease two 20 cm (8-Inch) nonstick springform cake tins and preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F.

2. Grate the carrots and chop the nuts and set aside. I squeezed out a little of the water just to make sure my cake wasn't too wet. 

3. In a food processor, combine the almond meal, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apices and process to combine. 

4. Finally add the carrot and pecans and pulse to combine with the cake batter.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared springform pans and bake for 15 to 25 minutes. Mine took more like 35-40 minutes to cook, so be sure to test yours and if it still needs more, return it to the oven in 5 minute segments.

6. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the tin before removing.

To make the frosting combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the icing sugar and lemon juice and zest and beat for another 5 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Spread the frosting between the cake layers and over the top of the cooled cake.

PMI

Plus = Delicious, moist, no floury taste, cream cheese icing is divine!

Minus = A lot of sugar!

Interesting = It's not a light and fluffy cake, but more like a mud cake



Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!

Gordon Ramsay's Sausage & Caramelised Onion Hot Pot

Hi, my name is Meg and I am addicted to Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Home Cooking.

Seriously, so far there's been the Brisket, Baked Porridge, Potato & Beetroot Gratin and Grilled Lobster!

I almost feel like I could complete a Julie & Julia project for this cookbook! The Meg & Gordon project: Ultimate Home Cooking Challenge. Without  even thinking about it, I am working my way through all the recipes, so maybe I should turn it into a project of some sort! Original idea, no of course not, but a good idea, HECK YES (say's my enthusiastic Husband!!). We'll see...

This week has been another gloomy week in London, lots of rain and not a lot much else! It is soup weather and casserole weather! Apologies if you're reading in Australia and are sick of all of these warm and cozy meals, but the idea of getting excited about a salad right now is just not going to happen!!

Having OD'd on soup last week, I decided to give casseroles a whirl this week. And what better place to start then with a good old sausage hot pot! 

meg-made: Gordon Ramsay's sausage & caramelised onion hot pot

A little more involved then regular Bangers & Mash, but worth the extra effort!

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

Olive oil, for frying
8 best-quality pork sausages (I got GF ones)
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 knobs of butter
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
3 thyme sprigs, leaves only (I used rosemary)
150g button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
200ml red wine (I used port)
200ml beef stock
Small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

meg-made: Gordon Ramsay's sausage & caramelised onion hot pot

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4. Place a large hob-proof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add a dash of oil and fry the sausages until coloured all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the onions and a couple of knobs of butter to the empty casserole dish. Stir in the sugar and thyme (or rosemary), then cook for 10–15 minutes over a medium heat, stirring now and again until the onions are completely caramelised. 

meg-made: Gordon Ramsay's sausage & caramelised onion hot pot

3. Add the mushrooms, stir, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Add the cooked sausages and red wine (or Port) to the dish, bring to the boil and bubble for 4–5 minutes to burn off the alcohol and reduce slightly. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then transfer to the oven for 18–20 minutes uncovered until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce is thick.

5. Sprinkle the finished dish with parsley and serve.

meg-made: Gordon Ramsay's sausage & caramelised onion hot pot

meg-made: Gordon Ramsay's sausage & caramelised onion hot pot

PMI

Plus = Comfort food at its best! 

Minus = Obviously not too healthy!! 

Interesting = I loved the rosemary instead of the thyme, it really took on a "Roast" flavour

Wishing you a wonderful weekend wherever you are! Are you watching the Super Bowl? We probably will stay up for some of it but otherwise are hoping to see some sunshine this weekend!!! Have a great one!

Psst!! If you are looking for a little more meg-made, I'd LOVE for you to follow along!