Carrot cake with cream cheese icing

Less than 30 mins preparation time

1 to 2 hours cooking time

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g/6oz light brown sugar
• 50g/2oz walnuts, shells removed
• 220g/8oz canned pineapple slices, chopped
• handful sultanas
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 passion fruit, pulp only
• 150g/5oz carrots, grated
• 150ml/5fl oz corn oil
• 3 free-range eggs

For the icing

• 125g/4oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 225g/8oz cream cheese
• 450g/1lb icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g/3½oz creamed coconut, grated
• 50g/2oz crushed pecans, to decorate

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 2.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and mix well.
3. Add the sugar, walnuts, pineapple, sultanas, mashed banana, passion fruit pulp, grated carrot, oil and eggs and mix well to completely combine.
4. Pour the cake mixture into a greased 22.5cm/9in cake tin and place into the oven to bake for 1-1¼ hours, or until cooked through. Test by pushing a skewer into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean the cake is ready.
5. If the cake top is browning too much, cover with a circle of kitchen foil.
6. Remove from the oven when ready and allow to cool on a wire rack.
7. For the icing, beat the butter and cheese together in a clean bowl until light and fluffy.
8. Add sugar and vanilla extract and mix well.
9. Add the coconut and mix again.
10. Once the cake is cool, remove from the cake tin and spread the icing all over the cake.
11. Decorate the cake with a few crushed pecans and serve in generous slices.

Quick pineapple sponge pudding with flambéed pineapple

Less than 30 mins preparation time

Less than 10 mins cooking time

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pineapple sponge

• 175g/6oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 3 free-range eggs
• 125g/4½oz pineapple, finely chopped

For the flambéed pineapple

• 50g/2oz raisins
• 110ml/4floz dark rum
• 50g/2oz butter
• 4 pineapple slices, with core removed
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, to serve

Preparation method

1. For the pineapple sponge, grease four small ramekins with butter.
2. Drizzle the golden syrup into the bottom of the ramekins.
3. Blend the butter, sugar, flour and eggs in a food processor until smooth. Add the pineapple and blend again until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Cover with cling film (make sure the cling film doesn’t touch the pudding mixture) and microwave on high for 2½ minutes, or until the puddings are risen and cooked through. Remove from the microwave and set aside to cool for one minute.
5. Meanwhile for the flambéed pineapple, soak the raisins in the rum in a small bowl.
6. Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming and fry the pineapple rings for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown on each side.
7. Add the rum and raisin mixture and slowly tilt the pan towards the gas flame, or light it with a match. Let the flames flare up then die down. (Caution: keep your face and hair away from the flames. Do not leave unattended.)
8. Add the sugar and continue to cook until the sugar melts and becomes caramel.
9. To serve, place each pineapple ring to one side of each serving plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Turn the sponges out alongside. Spoon over the rum and raisin sauce.