Mini carrot cakes with peanut caramel
These mini carrot cakes make a great dessert topped with peanut caramel.
Ingredients
For the carrot cakes
- 4 free-range eggs
- 150ml/5fl oz vegetable oil
- 260²µ/9¼´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 330²µ/11½´Ç³ú self-raising flour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- pinch ground ginger
- 270²µ/9¾´Ç³ú carrots, peeled and grated
For the pecan butter
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ tbsp soft brown sugar
- pinch cinnamon
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú pecan nuts, toasted and grated
For the peanut caramel
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- 100g/3½oz soft brown sugar
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- ½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
- pinch sea salt
- 100g/3½oz smooth peanut butter
Method
To make the carrot cakes, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease and line 8 x 7.5cm/3in individual cake tins with baking paper. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the eggs, oil and sugar until smooth. Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices and mix on a low speed. Add the carrots and mix to just combine. Transfer the mixture into the tins. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until cooked through, inserting a skewer into the centre of each cake to check it comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.
To make the pecan butter, beat all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.
To make the peanut caramel, bring the butter, sugar, cream, vanilla and salt to the boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Add the peanut butter, stirring constantly over a low heat. Keep warm.
Cut the cakes in half and fill with the pecan butter. Pour over the caramel and serve immediately.