Carrot Cake Christmas Houses

We have been getting into the Christmas spirit here at EasyTots HQ this week! So we decided to get the Christmas moulds out and do it properly

Ingredients cake
2 eggs
125g unsalted butter
175g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
4 tbsp maple syrup
75g chopped dates or sultanas

Ingredients frosting
200g mascarpone cheese
2-4 tbsp maple syrup (depending on taste)
Juice of half an orange

Method

First, melt your butter and set to one side to allow to cool. Pop your oven on 150°C

Lightly whisk your eggs, then add maple syrup and cooled melted butter to mix.

Add your spices and sift in flour. Gently combine until a smooth paste is formed.

Chop the ends off your carrot and wash (no need to peel), grate on the fine side of your grater. Pop grated carrot into some kitchen towels and squeeze out as much water as possible..

Add grated carrot and chosen fruit to your cake batter and mix until combined.

Spoon the mixture into your silicone mould (this mix will fill around 4 little houses) and pop onto a baking tray.

Bake in oven for around 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (be careful not to puncture the mould) Once baked, transfer the cakes still in the silicone mould onto a wire rack to cool.

Whilst your cakes cool, you can get your cream cheese frosting ready for the fun bit! Whisk mascarpone cheese, maple syrup (to taste) and orange juice together and pop into a piping bag with medium star nozzle. Don’t worry if you don’t have this, you can just cut the corner of a sandwich bag and that will do the job.

Once your cakes feel cool, slice off any cake raised above the mould so your little houses have flat bottoms. Flip mould over and loosen away from the sides of your cakes, allowing them to gently free from the mould.

You are now ready to decorate! Use gentle pressure on your piping bag to add details of cream cheese frosting as you wish. Finish with some optional Christmas sprinkles or sliced fruit to add some colour.