I have been a little slack on baking some low sugar or sugar free snacks for my boys since Christmas, but seeing all the carrots I had in my fridge at the weekend, I thought carrot cakes! Burton, in particular, loves carrot cake and I have school to thank for that because they offer it as a dessert sometimes, and its his favourite pudding now at school asides from yogurt.
School decorate their carrot cake with icing and hundreds and thousands. I know this because the first time I made it at home once Burton declared his love for it, I left it un-iced and for this I was told off! So now I always ice my carrot cakes but I don’t always sprinkle with hundreds and thousands, and so far this is ok with his lordship!!
These mini carrot cupcakes are perfect for lunch boxes or as an after school snack, and because they contain carrot and sultanas they are a great way of getting some added fruit and veggie goodness into children. These carrot cakes do not contain any nuts, because my two are not fans which is why I add sultanas instead. Plus I did not use any refined sugar, instead using a carob fruit syrup which makes these little cakes a little healthier and kinder to teeth (using no icing would make them even better of course!).
Here is my recipe for Mini Carrot Cakes
- 200g butter spread
- 175ml carob fruit syrup (I used Clarkes)
- 4 eggs
- 200g self raising flour
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely grated
- 50g sultanas
- 100g icing sugar
- approx 1 tbsp cold water
- pre heat the oven to 180oC / 160oC (fan)
- line a baking tray/s with paper cake cases cream the butter and syrup together for about 5 minutes
- add the eggs and a spoonful of flour and beat well for a few minutes
- add the spices and all but 1tbsp of the flour and mix well
- coat the sultanas in the remaining flour
- fold in the carrot and flour coated sultanas
- divide the batter between your paper cake cases
- bake in the oven for approx 20 minutes until the cakes are cooked right through
- leave the cakes to cool
- when cold, add your icing (mix the icing sugar with cold water - enough to make a thick paste) to the top of each cake
All waiting for my two hungry boys when they get home from school.
Oh my favourite cake but healthier! If only my two would be happy with a cake that contains a vegetable and a fruit!
i find sneaking veg in a cake def helps my two to eat more healthy stuff lol x
look yummy! 🙂
thank you
What a great idea as you said for lunch boxes….if they last long enough around here they may make it into there as a snack!
.:Marta:.
#cookblogshare
Bet your boys were delighted to get home to these – Haven’t made carrot cakes in yonks! x
Your mini carrot cakes look delicious, a perfect healthy treat. Thanks for sharing 🙂
These sound great Jenny….I’m just the same as your boys in that I don’t care for nuts in bakes, so although I love carrot cake I always have to ask if they contain walnuts in the sponge and more often than not they do (sadly) , so these are perfect. #cookblogshre
Angela x
such cute mini carrot cakes! x
A great idea to make mini carrot cakes for lunch boxes & snacks. Love the healthier recipe too. Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare
Yum! Carrot cake is one of my favourite kinds of cake!
walnuts for me have always been a no no, between that and the creamy topping you get when eating out it rules them out, Nice that yours will eat the fruit and veg this way, and they look delicious. Have been using this type of sugar for a while as healthier for diabetic hubby
I adore carrot cake it has to be my favourite cake, ever! I need to get baking but trying to watch my weight is stopping me. I really need to bake a healthy cake, carrot is one of my five a day! Perfect excuse! Thank you for joining in with #CookBlogShare x
Healthier and perfectly formed carrot cakes, yum. I’m sure your boys loved them too. 🙂
I’ve decided your cakes are perfect for my household, my favourite is coffee cake and my hubby’s favourite is carrot! I love the sound of this healthier version.
Summer Fun Come Rain or Shine - mummy mishaps
[…] ourselves and have some fun, as we are fortunate to live near the beach and the moors, open parks, camp sites, near woodland, near seaside and suburban towns and of course near a lot of tourist attractions. […]