Recipes: Two easy bakes from the brilliant Camerino Bakery

Carrot cake

This recipe was innocently passed on to me by my aunt, Julia Camerino. We sell a heck of a lot of this carrot cake through Camerino Bakery and we haven’t given auntie Julia a cent in royalties. Families, eh? I think crediting her in this printed recipe makes us even

Ingredients, serves 10

500g caster sugar

4 large free-range eggs

10g vanilla extract

300g sunflower oil

400g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cocoa

450g carrot, grated

50g pineapple, chopped

50g walnut, chopped

For the cream cheese frosting

100g icing sugar

1 lemon, zest only

100g butter

200g full fat, firm, cream cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line 2 x 15cm round tins.

2. Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and foamy. Add the sunflower oil and mix until incorporated.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa together. Stir this dry mix into your batter.

4. Stir in the carrot, pineapple and walnuts. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes.

5. Cool completely before removing the cake from the tin, and certainly before frosting it.

6. To make the frosting, beat the icing sugar, zest and butter until it comes together like breadcrumbs. Add the cream cheese and beat until it becomes smooth. Pipe or spread on one sponge before placing the second sponge on top. Pipe or spread a second layer of frosting on the top of the cake and decorate as you see fit.

TIP: The pineapple adds moisture, as well as allowing you to reduce the amount of sugar needed in the recipe. If you’re using tinned pineapple, drain the pieces and then chop.

Peanut butter brownies

Brownies are our signature treat in Camerino Bakery. They are multi-award winning and have their own fan club. They are basically the Beyoncé of the cake world. These brownies have a Canadian twist – we added peanut butter. Didn’t you know that peanut butter was invented in Canada? You’re welcome, world.

Ingredients, makes 15

500g granulated sugar

3 large free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g cocoa powder

250g unsalted butter, melted

200g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

6 tbsp smooth peanut butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Butter and line a 23cm x 28cm tray with parchment baking paper.

2. Beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. While continuing the beat, trickle in the melted butter.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this dry mix to your batter and stir in.

4. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and spread until even. Drop peanut butter by the tablespoon, in spots around the brownie batter. Using a knife, swirl the peanut butter along the surface. Don’t worry about making perfect shapes.

5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the brownie keeps a slight jiggle. Cool completely before cutting.

TIP: Warming the peanut butter first makes the swirling easier.

Recipes by Caryna Camerino of Camerino Bakery in Dublin – see camerino.ie for more. Photography by Brian Clarke, assisted by Harry Weir.