Spring has sprung here in Denmark, albeit in the usual pubescent kind of way where it doesn’t really know whether to rain, hail or shine. One of the things I love here is that after enduring the long, dark winter it’s like everyone gets a new lease on life when spring raises its pretty little head each year. As soon as the daylight starts streaming in the windows I always get hit by an uncontrollable urge to spruce up and de-junk the house. This year has been no exception. During this past spring-break week bin-bags have been filled, the garden tended to and the home just generally brightened up a bit. That hasn’t kept me out of the kitchen though. Here are some shots taken over the last few days, which is then rounded off by yet another fantastic carrot cake recipe. Yum.
Plants for sale at the Botanical Gardens, Copenhagen
Easter decorations at home
Eggs for my Easter cake
Collecting eggs left by the Easter bunny
Flowers in Ørstedsparken, Copenhagen
Foody/Fifth Floor Carrot Cake
My eldest daughter and I have a big soft spot for carrot cake. Given the amount of Easter bunny action in this house at the moment, I thought it was appropriate to bake a carrot cake for the weekend. I have until now only ever baked the family favourite, but this time I thought we’d live on the edge a little and try a new recipe. A few months ago my fellow food blogging friend, Kristina of Fifth Floor Cooking, posted her favourite carrot cake recipe. I decided to take inspiration from Kristina’s cake recipe, adding my own icing made with mascarpone. The result was a real yumster and it seems the family now has two favourite carrot cakes :)
The girl who loves carrot cake
For the cake
3 eggs
350g/3½ dl sugar
150g/3 dl walnuts, chopped
1½ tablespoons ground cardemom
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
250g/4 dl flour
200g/4 dl grated carrots
250 ml neutral oil
For the icing
250g mascarpone
4 tablespoons cream
200g icing sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
Beat the eggs with the sugar until white and foamy. Add the walnuts, cardemom, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and flour to the sugar/egg mixture and combine. Add the carrots and oil to the mix and combine until smooth. Grease a large springform cake tin and pour in the batter. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely.
To make the icing whip all the ingredients together until smooth. Spread over the cooled cake and decorate as you wish.
