Last year when I attended The Allergy and Free From Show in London with Miss GF, we discovered the Wow Cake Company. For those of you who haven’t heard of them yet, they are a Lancashire-based company specialising in gluten free cake mixes.
At the show, me and Miss Gf were only too willing to sample their cakes, all of which were yummy. We were however, particularly taken with the Carrot Cake.
As is the case when we attend shows and get very excited about new products, we bought a tub of the Carrot Cake mix (along with way too much other stuff). It duly got stored in the larder and somehow, being ‘out of sight out of mind’ got forgotten in the daily chaos that is GFHQ. Oops! Either way, a few weeks back, Miss GF rediscovered it and promptly set about playing with it.
It was fortunately still in date, but I did notice when perusing the website this morning, that Wow Cakes have updated their packaging and the mixes now come in sealed bags rather than tubs.
One of the things that we particularly liked about the Carrot Cake mix was that it was beautifully moist, not over sweet and was packed full of traditional Carrot Cake spice…… Cinnamon and a little nutmeg are a must. The mix requires the addition of butter or margarine, eggs and grated carrot, but apart from that there is no work to do other than mix.
We weren’t disappointed when we made it at home…… although of course, as is the want of Miss GF, it was given a little makeover with a few additions…… Well she is my daughter after all and they say ‘the apple never falls far from the tree’….. In GFHQ, a recipe or a mix is usually only seen as a canvass on which to paint.
The particular contribution made by Miss GF (who incidentally (as always) made the cake in the gap between getting home from school and myself and Mr GF arriving back from work….. when she had the kitchen to herself), was to throw in a load of peanuts for crunch and some white chocolate chunks simply because chocolate goes with everything… right?
As she had a little batter left over after filling the tins, she also made a couple of mini Carrot Cake Bundts to use it up…… which (you have to admit) are pretty cute. This mix would make a lovely large Bundt too!
The cakes were layered (or filled) with the ‘expected’ pairing of cream cheese frosting, reserving a little to colour orange and provide contrast to the top of the large cake. A sprinkle of grated white chocolate on the tops and they were done.
To be fair, we already knew Wow Cake Mixes were fab, having previously trialled their Ultimate Sponge Mix last Summer. Seriously, these cakes are a cinch to make….. Miss GF (still only 11) could make them standing on her head….. so even if you are cautious around baking, these are worth a go. Last year Miss GF made an amazing show-stompingly bright Olympic Cake with the Vanilla Sponge mix, to celebrate sporting’s biggest event….. she even incorporated her first attempt at sugar work to turn the cake into a stadium!
This Carrot Cake may be of more simple form, but it is certainly no less tasty. So well done Miss GF……. Another amazing addition to the tea-table.
I am sharing with the following linkies :
Cook Blog Share with Everyday Healthy Recipes
Brilliant Blog Posts with Honest Mum
Free From Fridays with Le Coin De Mel and Free From Farmhouse
Recipe of the Week with A Mummy Too
Carrot, Peanut & White Chocolate Chunk Cake – A Wow Cake Mix with Additions (makes 1 x 9 inch sandwich cake or 1 x 8 inch sandwich cake and 3 mini bundts/cupcakes)
Ingredients
Method
- Sponge : Base-line 2 non-stick round (8 inch or 9 inch) cake tins with baking paper and pre-heat your oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3. If you make a smaller round cake, you are likely to have enough batter left for a couple of mini cakes as well, so ready 3 or 4 cases as necessary.
- In a large bowl, mix the cake mix with the butter/margarine.
- Add the eggs and whisk until you have a creamy batter.
- Add the grated carrots and fold into the mixture.
- Fold in the peanuts and chocolate chips.
- Pour the mixture into the cake tins, smooth the tops and bake for about 30 minutes until the top is firm to the touch.
- Leave to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whilst cooling, make the cream-cheese frosting : Beat the cream cheese and butter together using a whisk in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until you have a smooth icing with a good spreading consistency. You may need to add a little more icing sugar, depending on how soft your frosting is.
- Remove 4 to 5 tablespoons of the icing and colour orange using food colouring.
- When the sponges are cold, sandwich them together with a thick layer of frosting. Remember to reserve a little frosting for small cakes if you have made them.
- Spread the remaining white and orange frosting on the top as you choose and sprinkle with grated white chocolate.
Love the look of these…so pretty. Your little bundt ones are so cute. Those wow mixes are awesome aren't they?
Thanks Vicki. I've been really impressed with the Wow mixes. They do seem to have a good texture and aren't over sweet either! x
She'll be starting her own blog soon! Cake mixes are a great way to experiment I think. #freefromfridays
Tell me about it Emma. She's half way there for sure xx
These look gorgeous and I'm very impressed with your daughter's baking skills. The mini bundts look lovely and I'm trying to resist a little trip to amazon to buy some tins now!
Thanks Mandy. Me too! She is very adept with a mixing bowl.
As for the mini bundt tins…. they are worth a buy (mine is a silicon tray mould). x
Aw, I do love a Miss GF bake! And this one looks fab…I adore carrot cake and I love the idea of adding peanuts and white chocolate. So fab that she is so adventurous in her experiments…it's the best way to be…you may have a few disasters along the way but you will also discover new and exciting things you would never have realised work so well!! Eb x
Thanks Eb…. Me too (blogging with help for a start!).
It is funny…. when Miss GF dons her apron (or doesn't) I have that moment of 'here comes the mess….' and then I remember that the results are worth the chaos and cleaning up! x
What a great bake Kate, you must be so proud of Miss GF. I love that she added some peanuts and white chocolate – they sound like the perfect addition. Those dinky little bundts are sooo cute!
Angela x
Thanks Angela. I sure am! Her choice of additions was very astute (as always) and it seems she can pretty much be left to get on with baking whatever now!
It is too long since I had a carrot cake – this post really makes me need one. Though I don't know I could go all out quite as fancy as Miss GF (hangs head in shame). But it is good to know that the carrot cake mix works for Domestic Goddesses as well as for mere mortals 🙂
I know what you mean Johanna. It is one of those cakes that should be on the table more often….. with or without a mix to use! After all….. it's one of your five a day isn't it? xx
Miss GF is going to have to set up her own blog soon! These carrot cakes look delicious, I love the idea of adding some nuts for the crunch. The little bundts look perfect too.
Ha! I think she might have to…. She'll do way better than me! Thanks for the kind comments xx
This cake sounds so lovely, the carrots, peanuts and the white chocolate make a delicious combination! And I do agree the little bundt cakes are very cute. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare:)
Thanks Monika. You're welcome. x