Carrot and Gingerbread Squares with Lemon Icing

I read recently (in Waitrose magazine, no less) that afternoon tea has come back into fashion, usurping its coffee based competitor as the nation’s favourite drink.  Given that I have always preferred a cup full of pale gold ceylon over a mug of java (the latter, oddly, making my face itch), I’m both pleased and unsurprised that tea is looking like this year’s winner.

There is probably nothing nicer, more comforting, more refreshing and more levelling than a good cup of tea.  I could argue its health benefits: rehydrating, huge numbers of antioxidants, increased bone density, good for the heart, not to mention the positive mental affects of a cup of tea in a crisis.  But actually, I don’t think anybody should ever have to justify having a cup of tea.  It’s one of life’s simple, open-to-all pleasures and should remain that way.  What could be argued as an indulgence is the additional cake part of an afternoon tea.  Tea and cakes being, on the whole, a treat rather than a given.  Nonetheless, sometimes it’s good to go all out and when you do, I really recommend you make these Carrot and Gingerbread Squares with Lemon Icing.

Here, the zesty lemon icing and the addition of finely grated carrot gives this gingerbread a lovely delicate and moist texture and a vibrant tang that suits these glorious and timely, sun-strewn summer months.  This is a lovely, light sweet treat; the perfect foil to a pot of tea and a good chat with friends.

GINGERBREAD SQUARES WITH LEMON ICING

Makes 12 squares

You will need a 7 x 7 inch square tin for this recipe

200g/7oz Doves Farm Gluten Free self-raising flour

200g/7oz soft light brown sugar

100g trimmed and peeled carrot (that’s about 1 large carrot)

55g/2oz dairy-free margarine (Pure Sunflower Spread)

1 heaped tsp Orgran Egg Replacer whisked together with 2 tbsp water

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp golden syrup

240ml/9floz hot water

For the icing

100g/4oz golden icing sugar

1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180c and grease and line the baking tin.  Using a hand held grater, finely grate the carrots and set aside (I really don’t recommend you use a food processor to grate them as they retain so much water and can make the cake soggy.)  Place the flour, sugar, grated carrots, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large mixing bowl and stir together until evenly combined.

Cut the margarine into small chunks and add to the flour mixture.  Using your hands, rub the margarine into the flour until you have a fine breadcrumb like consistency.  Add the golden syrup, egg replacer to the mixture and then pour over the hot water.  Stir together with a wooden spoon until smooth and combined and then pour the mixture into the lined baking tin.

Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes until golden and fragrant and the top is springy when lightly touched.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin while you make up the icing.  Combine the icing sugar with the lemon juice and stir together until smooth.  When the cake has cooled completely, remove from the tin and spread the icing over the top.  Leave to set for 20 minutes or so before cutting into squares and serving.

Brown Sugar Marmalade Cake

When you love food and cooking it stands to reason that over time you’ll develop a collection of favourite ingredients, recipes and food writers.  I won’t go through my entire roll of inspirations, both cupboard and book bound, but I will tell you this: Nigel Slater will always, always come top of my list.  So great is my love for the man that I keep a special section of shelves (an empty wine crate no less) devoted to his books, of which I have them all.  My first experience of Nigel, and indeed my first flush of cookery writing love, was a copy of his early The 30-Minute Cookbook – yes that’s right Jamie, Nigel got there first.  It was a book so simple in its premise, so tantalising in its content and so wonderfully, and encouragingly, accessible.  Nigel made me want to cook, but he also made it clear that I could cook, and that, I think, is the key to good food writing.  I know I am not alone in this, Nigel is often cited as the countries favourite food writer.  Under normal circumstances that would put me off a little, never having liked the feeling of being just one of a number.  But in this case, it only goes to prove quite how appealing Nigel Slater’s writing is.

Not for him the big, flouncy shows or market-led subject matter.  Even when he does finally feature in his own cookery programme it is a relaxed and genteel affair – focused on simply cooking lovely food.  No pomp, no ceremony and lots and lots of crème fraiche.  I love this man.  Over the years there has been many a Nigel Slater recipe that’s found itself adapted for my food sensitivities.  Part of me feels that it may be a little sacrilegious to mess with his fine art, but I can’t resist it.  A good recipe is still a good recipe, even when tweaked a little.  So this is where I find myself: leafing through the pages of Nigel’s Kitchen Diaries – a book to be read as just that, a diary; dipped into as a thought for the day, its culinary inspiration driving your appetite – only to discover this gem of a recipe. 

Hands up, I really have adapted it.  Plus, I may have changed the sugar, just a little.  I wanted the mellow, caramel sweetness that comes from muscovado sugar, it just seemed right.  This cake is heavenly, truly heavenly and entirely appropriate, the marmalade awards having recently been.  Use homemade marmalade if you can – someone always has a batch, or get it from a farm shop or farmers market.  Then treat yourself to a cup of tea and a slice of this cake, and think of Nigel.

MARMALADE BROWN SUGAR CAKE

Serves 8

You will need a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe

175g/6oz Doves Farm Gluten Free Self Raising Flour

175g/6oz light muscovado sugar

150g/5½oz butter replacement – Pure Sunflower Spread

3 eggs – 3 heaped tsp of Orgran Egg Replacer whisked together with 6 tbsp water

75g/2¾oz marmalade

The zest of 1 orange

The juice of ½ orange

For the icing

100g/3½oz golden icing sugar

2 tbsp orange juice

Preheat the oven to 180c (160c Fan) and lightly grease and line the loaf tin.  Cream together the sugar and butter replacement until caramel, smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the egg replacer, bit by bit, mixing the egg in thoroughly each time you add it  - do not be alarmed if the mixture looks like it is beginning to split, the flour will put it back together.  Stir in the marmalade and orange zest until combined.

Using a large metal spoon, fold the flour into your mixture.  Do this until the flour has become completely blended with the remaining ingredients.  Gently stir in the orange juice and then spoon the cake mixture into the loaf tin and level the top with the back of your spoon.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes in the oven until risen and golden – you can check with a thin skewer or cocktail stick.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.  Meanwhile,  mix together the icing sugar and orange juice until smooth and glossy (note, this is quite a runny icing so if you prefer yours thicker just add a little extra icing sugar).  Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the icing over the top and leave to set before cutting into slices and serving.

You can also find this recipe at Cybele Pascal's Allergen Free Cuisine.