Carrot & Mango Cake

It would’ve been my Mother’s birthday today and I’ve no doubt at all if she was still here there would have been cake.

The sweet things were always her favourites, I’m sure that’s where my indulgent streak comes from. She was one of those people who always looked at desserts first on a menu, making sure whichever earlier courses she picked left room for the sweet treat which had caught her eye.

Some of my earliest memories are of her baking and me asking for a taste of the cake mixture before it went into the oven. A habit I’ve not got out of to this day

My love of baking, rather than just eating it, didn’t start until very late in Mum’s life. But for those last few years, it was great to swap recipes and to pick her brains as I was learning.

I’m so pleased I got to bake the cake for her 80th birthday party. Even if I wasn’t allowed to put 80 on it as she didn’t want to be reminded it was a landmark day.

If I had been baking her a cake today I’d like to think the one I made earlier this week would have met with approval. A light sponge that’s spiced with ginger and cinnamon, has crushed toasted walnuts for added texture, along with grated carrots and mashed banana. Filled and topped with cream cheese and mango icing. Happy birthday Mum.

Ingredients for the cake

• 50g walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 260g light brown sugar
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 150g plain flour
• 100g wholemeal flour
• 260ml sunflower oil – or any other neutral oil.
• 1 banana – mashed
• 190g grated carrot

Ingredients for the icing

• 75g unsalted butter – softened
• 45g caster sugar
• I pinch of sea salt flakes
• 320g cream cheese
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• Approximately half a mango – I used a supermarket pack that was already chopped and peeled.

Method

• Heat the oven to gas4/fan160. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
• Put the walnuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for about 12 minutes. Leave to cool and then crush them.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy. Then slowly pour in the oil while still whisking. Once the oil is combined with the egg and sugar mix add the mashed banana.
• In a separate bowl combine the salt, spices, crushed walnuts, raising agents and flours. Mix and then add them to the egg mixture and stir well to combine. Finally, stir in the grated carrots.
• Split the mixture between the two prepared tins and bake for 35 minutes. When they are done a sharp knife should come out clean. Leave the cakes in the tin to cool.
• For the icing beat the butter and caster sugar together at a medium speed. Once they are combined, add the salt and cream cheese and beat again. Then add the icing sugar and a few chunks of the mango, beat on a higher speed to break down the mango.
• Put one of the cooled cakes on a plate and cover it with two-thirds of the icing. Add the second cake and put the remaining icing on top. Finish off with more mango and some edible petals if you have them.