Carrot and walnut cake recipe
 Individual carrot cakes topped with a pistachio and cream cheese icing and marzipan decorations. 2 free-range eggs200g/7oz light brown sugarpinch salt85g/3oz vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing250g/9oz carrots, grated 35g/1¼oz walnuts, chopped 125g/4½ oz strong flour, sifted½ tsp baking powder½ tsp bicarbonate of soda1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 free-range eggs 200g/7oz light brown sugar pinch salt 85g/3oz vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing 250g/9oz carrots, grated 35g/1¼oz walnuts, chopped 125g/4½ oz strong flour, sifted ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 200g/7oz cream cheese100g/3½oz caster sugar 50g/1¾oz pistachio paste (available online)few drops green food colouring 200g/7oz cream cheese 100g/3½oz caster sugar 50g/1¾oz pistachio paste (available online) few drops green food colouring 250g/9oz marzipanfew drops orange food colouringfew drops red food colouring20g/¾oz cocoa powder6 tbsp cocoa nibs 250g/9oz marzipan few drops orange food colouring few drops red food colouring 20g/¾oz cocoa powder 6 tbsp cocoa nibs Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease six 10x5cm/4x2in disposable rectangular moulds or a six cup muffin tin.To make the cake, whisk the eggs, sugar, salt and oil together in a large bowl. Add the carrots, walnuts, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon and fold in to combine. Spoon the batter into the moulds or muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes.Meanwhile, make the topping. In a bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and pistachio paste. Add green food colouring, stirring through a drop at a time, until you get an even light-green colour. Set aside until ready to use.When cooked, remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool. When completely cool, spread the topping over the cakes.To decorate, massage the marzipan to soften. Set aside a third of the marzipan. Knead in the orange and a little red food colouring into the remaining marzipan until you have bright-orange ‘carrot’ colour. Mould into mini carrots. Knead the green food colouring into the reserved marzipan, mould it into carrots tops and attach them to the orange ‘carrots’.Place them on top of the cake and dust with cocoa powder.Along the top of each cake, sprinkle a line of cocoa nibs to look like soil with the green tops of the carrots sticking out. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease six 10x5cm/4x2in disposable rectangular moulds or a six cup muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease six 10x5cm/4x2in disposable rectangular moulds or a six cup muffin tin. To make the cake, whisk the eggs, sugar, salt and oil together in a large bowl. Add the carrots, walnuts, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon and fold in to combine. To make the cake, whisk the eggs, sugar, salt and oil together in a large bowl. Add the carrots, walnuts, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon and fold in to combine. Spoon the batter into the moulds or muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes. Spoon the batter into the moulds or muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and pistachio paste. Add green food colouring, stirring through a drop at a time, until you get an even light-green colour. Set aside until ready to use. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and pistachio paste. Add green food colouring, stirring through a drop at a time, until you get an even light-green colour. Set aside until ready to use. When cooked, remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool. When completely cool, spread the topping over the cakes. When cooked, remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool. When completely cool, spread the topping over the cakes. To decorate, massage the marzipan to soften. Set aside a third of the marzipan. Knead in the orange and a little red food colouring into the remaining marzipan until you have bright-orange ‘carrot’ colour. Mould into mini carrots. Knead the green food colouring into the reserved marzipan, mould it into carrots tops and attach them to the orange ‘carrots’. To decorate, massage the marzipan to soften. Set aside a third of the marzipan. Knead in the orange and a little red food colouring into the remaining marzipan until you have bright-orange ‘carrot’ colour. Mould into mini carrots. Knead the green food colouring into the reserved marzipan, mould it into carrots tops and attach them to the orange ‘carrots’. Place them on top of the cake and dust with cocoa powder. Place them on top of the cake and dust with cocoa powder. Along the top of each cake, sprinkle a line of cocoa nibs to look like soil with the green tops of the carrots sticking out. Along the top of each cake, sprinkle a line of cocoa nibs to look like soil with the green tops of the carrots sticking out.