#ShareTheLove

Recently Whitworths asked me to take part in their #ShareTheLove campaign, challenging me to get my pinny on and share love through the power of baking!

I love this campaign as I truly believe that baking is a great way to share love, I will always bring homemade goodies instead of shop brought whenever I can. I'm sure this probably has something to do with the Millen side of the family as both my Mum & Nan are amazing bakers, Mums Crumble is 👌

So my offering for this campaign is my Christmas Carrot Cake (traditional Christmas cake is not my bag...) and I have baked this to share the love with my housemates... and to prove a point that gluten free baking isn't tasteless #ShareTheLove 😅

To be honest this was a very slapdash recipe as the one I normally use is now lost to me so I smushed a couple together and took the pieces I liked and the result was ah-mazing!

Carrot Cake

140g butter

1 cup sugar (I used coconut)

2 medium carrots

½ cup Whitworths sultanas (I sometimes leave these out, just down to preference)

2 eggs

1 cup Whitworths ground almond

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp nutmeg

1tsp GF baking powder

100g Whitworths chopped walnuts

For the Butter Cream

60g butter

1 cup icing sugar

Orange zest*

Fresh squeezed orange juice*

*to taste

Now for the baking...

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170ºc.

2. Whisk the butter and sugar until soft and creamy, then stir in the grated carrot and sultanas. Pour the eggs into the mix a little at a time.

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3. Add the ground almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and the chopped nuts, mix well (it might still look a little curdled, I was worried it might turn out like a omelette, but this is fine!). Tip the mix into the tin, then bake for 50-60 mins or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean, all ovens vary so this is just a guide. Allow to cool... I got impatient and put it in the fridge 🙄

4. Whilst you're waiting for it to cool, make there icing. Beat the butter in a large bowl until it is really soft, add the icing sugar and orange zest + juice, then whisk until thick and creamy. When the cake is cool, spread the icing on top. Garnish with more orange zest or crushed nuts 👌

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Now I challenge you to #ShareTheLove through baking and create something you can enjoy with your friends & family. Let me know how you get on!