CAKE IN THE HOUSE

Go foraging for clover and enjoy a floral twist on a classic treat

CARROT AND CLOVER CAKE Serves 8

150ml rapeseed oil

125g caster sugar

6 clover flowers*, washed and segmented

2 large eggs

250g self-raising flour

1 heaped tsp baking powder

200g carrots, finely grated

For the icing:

150g icing sugar

50g unsalted butter, softened

3 clover flowers, washed and segmented

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/ Gas 4 and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.

2 Put the oil and sugar in a mixing bowl, add the prepared clover petals and beat in the eggs.

3 Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and stir through the grated carrots.

Fold the flour and carrot mixture into the oil, sugar and egg mixture.

4 Turn into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 mins until firm and well risen. Cool for 5 mins in the tin, then turn onto a wire rack.

5 To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in the softened butter. Add most of the clover petals, reserving a few to decorate.

7 Spread the clover frosting over the cooled cake, then sprinkle the reserved petals over the top. Cook’s note: You could also use wild mountain thyme leaves instead of clover.

Extracted from The Forager’s Kitchen Handbook by Fiona Bird (CICO Books). Photography: CICO Books