Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Carrot Patch Flapjacks with Cream Cheese Icing
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
30 minutes
20 minutes
50 minutes
Serves:
12 individual molded flapjacks
Toby's innovative carrot cake flapjack fusion honoring his childhood preference for carrot cake over traditional flapjacks with corrected spice balance addressing Paul's critique of quite high cinnamon level that overwhelmed proper carrot cake taste. This signature challenge creation features individual molding creating attractive carrot cake slice appearance that Paul and Prue found lovely and great looking, while maintaining the great flapjack texture Prue praised. Innovative oat replacement for flour creates unique fusion while finely grated carrots provide moisture and authentic carrot cake flavor enhanced by cream cheese icing that elevates humble flapjacks to cake-like elegance with carrot patch garden presentation theme.
Ingredients
FOR THE CARROT CAKE FLAPJACKS:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE ICING:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk (as needed)
Pinch of salt
FOR DECORATION:
2-3 drops orange food coloring
2-3 drops green food coloring
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (for sprinkling)
12 small marzipan carrots (optional, or make from icing)
Instructions
PREPARE THE CARROT CAKE FLAPJACKS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease 12 individual rectangular molds (3x2 inch) or line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
3. Finely grate carrots using small holes of box grater until you have 1 cup packed grated carrot.
4. In large bowl, combine oats, grated carrots, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix well to distribute spices evenly.
5. In small saucepan, melt butter with golden syrup over medium heat, stirring until completely combined and smooth.
6. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
7. Pour warm butter mixture over oat-carrot mixture and stir thoroughly until well combined and mixture holds together when pressed. Fold in chopped walnuts and raisins until evenly distributed.
MOLD AND BAKE:
8. Divide mixture evenly among prepared molds, pressing firmly with back of spoon or your fingers to compact and create smooth tops.
9. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown around edges and set in center (should spring back lightly when touched).
10. Cool in molds for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE ICING (prepare while flapjacks cool):
11. In medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
12. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed initially then increasing to medium until completely smooth.
13. Add vanilla extract and salt, then add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until icing reaches spreadable but not runny consistency (should hold its shape when piped).
14. If making colored decorations, reserve 2 tablespoons icing in one small bowl and 1 tablespoon in another for coloring.
PREPARE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS:
15. Color reserved icing: Mix orange food coloring into larger portion for carrots, green food coloring into smaller portion for carrot tops.
16. Transfer colored icings to small piping bags or squeeze bottles, or use toothpicks for detailed work.
CREATE THE CARROT PATCH APPEARANCE:
17. Using offset spatula or butter knife, spread cream cheese icing evenly over top of each cooled flapjack, creating smooth surface resembling frosted carrot cake slice.
18. Create decorative swirls by gently running fork or knife tip through icing in curved patterns.
19. For carrot decorations: Either place one marzipan carrot on each flapjack, or pipe small orange carrot shapes (about 1 inch long) using orange icing, then add small green leaves using green icing.
20. Sprinkle chopped walnuts around carrots to simulate "soil" in the carrot patch theme.
21. Arrange finished flapjacks on serving platter in rows to create garden patch appearance.
STORAGE AND SERVING:
Store covered in refrigerator up to 3 days
Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving for best texture
Best consumed within 24 hours of icing for optimal presentation
