LITTLE CARROT CAKES WITH DATE FROSTING

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES (+ COOLING) MAKES 6

2 free-range eggs

¾ cup (165g) caster sugar ¼ cup (85g) rice malt syrup

2/3 cup (140g) virgin coconut

oil, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups (340g) firmly packed

coarsely grated carrot

1/3 cup (35g) sultanas

½ cup (60g) chopped

pecans, roasted

12/3 cups (250g)

self-raising flour

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons icing sugar chopped pecans, extra, to serve

DATE FROSTING

125g dried pitted dates,

chopped finely 2 tablespoons boiling water 250g cream cheese,

chopped, softened

125g butter, chopped, softened

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease a 6-hole (¾-cup/180ml) texas muffin pan well.

2 Beat eggs and caster sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in malt syrup, coconut oil and vanilla, then carrot, sultanas, nuts and sifted flour, soda and spices. Spoon mixture into pan holes.

3 Bake cakes for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of one cake comes out clean. Leave cakes in pan for 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

4 Meanwhile, make date cream cheese frosting.

5 Spread frosting on cooled cakes. Dust with sifted icing sugar and, if you like, a few extra chopped pecans.

DATE FROSTING

Process dates and the boiling water until almost smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Add cream cheese and butter; process, scraping down the side of the processor bowl, until frosting is light and fluffy.