Rudolph’s carrot patch cakes

• light soft brown sugar↗140g g
• self-raising flour↗100g g
• cocoa powder↗3 tbsp tbsp
• bicarbonate of soda↗¼ tsp tsp
• mixed spice½ tsp tsp
• ground cinnamon↗1 tsp tsp
• orange zest
• medium eggs↗2
• sunflower oil↗100ml ml
• milk↗50ml ml
• carrot↗100g g

  (about 2 medium sized), grated

• orange and green food colouring
• fondant icing↗140g g
• butter↗100g g

  chopped

• cocoa powder↗2 tbsp tbsp
• icing sugar↗200g
• milk↗2 tbsp
• desiccated coconut↗25g
• few parsley

  sprigs and edible green glitter (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Arrange 6 mini loaf cases (8 x 4 x 4cm) on a baking tray. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, spices, orange zest and ¼ tsp salt. In a jug, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 30 mins until risen and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

2. 2

   While the cakes are cooking, make the carrot decorations. Mix the orange food colouring into the fondant icing until evenly coloured, then divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a cyclinder, about 5cm long, then roll one end a little thinner to create a carrot shape. Use a cocktail stick to make indentations along the sides. Set aside, standing them on their fattest end, to firm up for 30 mins. Now make the chocolate icing. Put the butter, cocoa, icing sugar and milk into a saucepan, and bubble for a few mins, stirring with a small whisk until smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool for 20 mins. For the green coconut ‘grass’, tip the coconut into a small bowl, add a little green food colouring and mix until evenly coated.

3. 3

   To assemble the cakes, first cut a little hole, about 1cm, into the centre of each to ‘plant’ your carrot later. Stir the icing and spread over the cakes to cover the surface. Push your carrot into the centre, then scatter the green coconut around the edges. Stick a sprig of parsley into the top of each carrot and sprinkle the coconut grass with green edible glitter, if you like. Can be stored in a sealed cake tin for up to 3 days.