Afternoon Tea

Yesterday, we had a few friends over to afternoon tea as a "mini" birthday celebration (due to almost everyone except me being bunkered down in study mode).  I baked a few treats for the afternoon tea (with my sister's new purple Kitchenaid mixer).

Left: Orange and almond cake, right: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

I baked two of the carrot cakes and took the other one with me to the Whittlesea Show today as afternoon tea for the rest of the St John first aiders.  Saw many interesting things at the show.... including a Shetland pony dressed up as Spiderman (the actual horse was wearing a costume, as well as the kid riding it - who was very upset when the lady announcing the event mistakenly called him Superman, it was very cute!!!)  According to a horse riding friend, "dress up" equestrian events are not unusual, but I'd never seen anything like it!

Anyway, back to the afternoon tea, I often get compliments on my carrot cake and it has become my "go to" recipe if I have to bring something to share.  So here is the recipe (adapted from Donna Hay's Modern Classics):

 - Mix together 1&1/2 cups of brown sugar and 3/4 cup of vegetable oil or canola oil.  You could even use olive oil.
- Add three eggs.
- Add 1&1/2 cups sifted SR flour, 1 tsp bicarb soda (or substitue plain flour and baking powder if you don't have SR flour).
- Add 1 large tsp each of ginger and cinammon and 1/2 large tsp each of nutmeg and ground cloves.  I like to be generous with the spices, but you can adjust to your own taste.
- Add 3-4 medium sized peeled, washed and grated carrots.
- Bake at 180 degrees (celcius) for around 40 minutes (or until cooked) if you bake it in two loaf tins or around 60 minutes (or until cooked) if you bake it in a larger square tin.
- For the icing, I just mix together some cream cheese, cream and icing sugar.
- I like to sprikle pepitas on the top but we didn't have any.  You can also use chopped nuts (e.g. pecan) or you can add chopped nuts, sultanas etc. to the mixture before you bake it.  I tend to avoid adding nuts when cooking for a crowd due to allergies however I think they add some nice texture.

We also had macarons.  Unfortunately I can't take credit for these.

And "punch" (non-alcoholic due to P-plate drivers) - just some quartered strawberries, roughly chopped mint and lemonade.  Very simple but quite nice!

All in all, it has been a very busy last few days for me (exams, lunch, shopping and baking on Friday; work and entertaining on Saturday and then St John first aid volunteering all day today).  I am looking forward to a nice big sleep in.

Thanks for reading!