Carrot Cake

Here's your weekend (pre-Easter) cake treat!

Thanks to @lifeinthesouth.co and @inapaarmanskitchen for the recipe!

Ingredients:
1x Ina Paarman carrot cake mix
3 large eggs (vegan option below)
1/4 cup margarine melted
1/2 cup neutral oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pecans
Optional to add 1/2 cup fresh grated carrots (less for vegan substitution)
Salted caramel (optional to add)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1-2 tbsp coconut cream
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Salt as desired

Vegan options to replace eggs
1/2 cup plant based milk mixed with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 flax egg ( 1 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 1 1/2 tbsp water leave to thicken) Sugar to sprinkle on to the loaf

Macadamia frosting:
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
1-2 tbsp plant milk (i used leftover coconut cream)
1/4 cup macadamia butter
Pinch of salt
 
Method:
1. Heat the Vortex oven or Vortex to Bake at 180C.
2. Start by making the salted caramel, place the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat until the sugar has melted, add the coconut cream and the rest of the ingredients. Let it cook a few minutes more until it starts to caramelise, turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
3. Mix the carrot cake ingredients together, add in the grated carrots and gradually mix in the salted caramel into the carrot cake batter, pour into a parchment paper lined tin and sprinkle some sugar on top.
4. Place in the middle rack of the vortex and bake for 35-40 minutes to see if it has baked through, lower the heat to 170 and bake for 5-10 minutes more.
5. When baked, remove to cool in the tin, once cooled remove, pour on the glaze and pecans and serve!