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Carrot Cake Trifle

A twist on the classic trifle. Deliciously moist carrot cake, mascarpone cream and apple compote.
Prep Time1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time38 minutes
Total Time1 hour 43 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8 portions

Equipment

  • 20x26cm rectangular tin

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

  • 175 g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 2 large free-range egg
  • 180 g sunflower oil
  • 100 g light brown sugar
  • 95 g caster sugar
  • 60 g walnuts chopped
  • 30 g desiccated coconut
  • 1 egg white
  • 145 g carrot grated

Apple Compote

  • 320 g Brambley apples
  • 180 g dessert apples
  • 60 g light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbls lemon juice
  • ½ tsp ground ginger

Mascarpone Cream

  • 250 g mascarpone
  • 500 ml whipping cream
  • 65 g icing sugar
  • ½ zest of lemon
  • 1 small zest of orange
  • 1½ Tbls orange juice

Boozy Syrup

  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 4 Tbls water
  • 60 ml rum or dry sherry

Candied Pecans

  • 150 g Pecan halves
  • 50 g light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ Tbls water
  • ¼ tsp malden salt

Instructions

Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Grease a 20x26cm tin and line the base with baking parchment. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a bowl.
Lightly whisk the whole eggs. Put the sunflower oil and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Beat for about a minute or so on a medium speed. Slowly add the beaten eggs. Fold in the carrot, walnuts and coconut, followed by the dry ingredients. Don't over mix.
  • In a separate bowl whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt to stiff peeks. Gently fold the egg white into the carrot mixture in 2 additions, being careful not to over mix. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately
30 minutes. A cocktail stick inserted in the centre should come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from the tin.

Apple Compote

  • Peel, core and dice the apple, place in a medium saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice and ginger. Add a tablespoon of water. Heat to boiling, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the apples have cooked but the dessert apples still hold their shape. Set aside to cool.

Mascarpone Cream

  • With a balloon whisk, whip the mascarpone with the zest and juice of the orange, lemon and icing sugar. In a separate bowl, lightly whip the cream. Now combine it with the mascarpone mixture. Set aside.

Rum Syrup

  • Heat the sugar with the water until it dissolves, simmer for a few minutes. Cool a little then add the rum or sherry. Set aside.

Candid Pecans

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and water to a medium saucepan. Place it on a medium heat and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the brown sugar melts into a bubbling liquid, about 1 minute. Stir in the pecans so that the melted brown sugar coats them. Cook, stirring continuously, until the pecans look candied and smell nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. As the nuts heat up in the pan, the sauce will slowly coat them and become shiny. Watch closely as the nuts cook so that they do not burn. Tip out onto the parchment paper to cool.

To assemble

  • Begin with a spoon full of apple puree. Place 2.5 cm of cake pieces on top of the apple, then drizzle with a little of the boozy syrup. Follow with a spoonful of mascarpone cream. Repeat. Top with a few pecans and little orange and lemon zest.

Notes

There will be some cake leftover, it can however be wrapped in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months.