Gajar Halwa Carrot Cake with Cardamom Cream Cheese (British x Indian)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan ovens 20 °C lower) for 15 min.

   oven

2. Cook the carrots halwa-style. Melt some of the ghee in a 22 cm frying pan, add the grated carrot and stir for 1 minute, then add the milk and saffron and cook over medium heat for 7 min, stirring often. It is ready when the milk has been absorbed, the pan is dry and the carrot is soft, glossy and deep orange. Spread on a plate and cool for 10 min.

   Add in this stepGhee, melted 19 gCarrots, peeled and finely grated 150 gMilk 70 mlSaffron threads 1 pinch

   medium heat

3. Oil a 15 cm round tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar and the rest of the melted ghee (just warm) for 1 min 30 sec until paler and slightly thick.

   Add in this stepEggs, at room temperature 2Light brown soft sugar 100 gGhee, melted 76 g

4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, most of the cardamom, the cinnamon and the salt and fold gently until no dry flour remains. Add the cooled halwa carrots and half the chopped pistachios and fold two or three more times.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 130 gBaking powder 1 tspBicarbonate of soda ¼ tspGround green cardamom ¾ tspGround cinnamon ½ tspSalt 1 pinchUnsalted pistachios, chopped 20 g

5. Pour into the tin, level and bake in the oven at 170°C for 32 min, until a skewer comes out clean and the top springs back.

   oven

6. Cool in the tin for 10 min, then turn out onto a rack and leave until completely cold.

7. Beat the softened butter with the sifted icing sugar and the rest of the cardamom until fluffy, then add the cold cream cheese and beat for 2 min, just until smooth.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened 30 gIcing sugar 60 gGround green cardamom ¼ tspFull-fat cream cheese, cold 125 g

8. Spread the frosting over the cold cake and scatter generously with the remaining pistachios. Chill for 20 min to set before slicing.

   Add in this stepUnsalted pistachios, chopped 20 g