Steamed Carrot Cake With Sweet Potato Ice Cream – Inspired by Anna Olson

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

• • 150g finely grated peeled carrots
  • 90ml vegetable oil
  • 150g dark brown sugar
  • 30g honey
  • 6g finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 125g all-purpose flour
  • 1.5g ground cinnamon
  • 0.75g ground black pepper
  • 1.5g baking powder
  • 1.25g baking soda
  • 1.25g fine salt
  • 75g raisins or crushed pineapple (well-drained)

1.  Grease six 150 ml (5-fl.oz) ramekins and place them in a pan with sides that are higher than the ramekins. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius (350 degree Fahrenheit).
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the carrots, oil, brown sugar, honey, ginger, egg and egg yolk by hand until evenly blended. (How EASY is this?!)
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, pepper, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this to the carrot mixture and stir by hand until evenly combined (the batter will be very wet). Stir in the raisins (or pineapple). Divide this between the prepared ramekins.
4. Pour boiling hot water around the ramekins so that it comes up halfway and cover the pan with foil or a lid. Bake the carrot cakes for 35-40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean.

Chef Tip:

Remove the ramekins immediately onto a cooling rack, and cool the cakes for at least 30 minutes before serving, or they can be served at room temperature.

To serve, run a palette knife around the inside edge of each ramekin and turn the cake out onto a plate. The cake can be served on its own, or with a scoop of ice cream, crème fraiche and/or caramel sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus freezing

Cook Time: 1 hour

• 1 large sweet potato, at least 300g
• 250ml coconut milk
• 250ml whipping cream
• 100g granulated sugar
• 45ml corn syrup
• 30ml instant skim milk powder
• 7ml vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and bake it until tender, about an hour. Cool it completely, peel it and puree the sweet potato until smooth.
3. Measure out 260g (1 cup) of the puree into a large mixing bowl.
4. Whisk the coconut milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, milk powder and vanilla into the sweet potato puree until smooth.
5. Pour this into an ice cream maker and churn following manufacturer’s instructions. Once frozen (but it will still be soft), transfer the ice cream to a non-reactive container and freeze until firm.