Quick and simple Cinnamon Rolls :)

Me and my son were visiting a friend and I never like to go empty handed but with the crazy busy week we have had I didn't really have much time to make anything too elaborate. I really wanted to make some cinnamon rolls (I had a slight craving for them haha) but with limited time, I found this fab recipe which required about half an hour of my time which was perfect and with a few of my own alterations the end result was magnificent...okay they are slightly more doughy than your regular cinnamon rolls as this is a no yeast recipe but the outcome is wonderful and its perfect to make with kids...ticks all the boxes for me :))
Add a cream cheese frosting like I did and it definitely is like eating a real cinnamon roll.

No Yeast Cinnamon Roll

Dough
3 cup plain flour
1 cup buttermilk,
(or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Filling
2 1/2 tbsp butter melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Orange glaze
Juice of half a large orange
4 tbsp caster sugar

Cream cheese frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Measure the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and egg into a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk. Stir until thoroughly combined and form a dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or until smooth.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch by 24-inch rectangle. Spread the melted butter over the entire rectangle. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon all over.
Roll the dough into a log beginning at the wide side. Cut into two-inch pieces and put the pieces into a 7" pan.
Bake at 180/170c fan for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Heat the juice and caster sugar in a pan until the sugar is dissolved and spread over the cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out the oven.

Mix all the frosting ingredients together until soft and smooth.

Allow the muffins to cool for 15 minutes and spread over the cream cheese frosting

Another great alternative is to place the cinnamon rolls into muffin tins and then place in the oven...individual cinnamon roll muffins :))

Why not add pecan nuts to the sugar and cinnamon filling...yummy :))

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

This week has been so busy and today was no exception, swimming with my son, food shopping and we also had a friend over for lunch so of course i had to make something special but with limited time I opted for homemade focaccia with cold meats, cheeses, olives and homemade dips...all topped off with some gorgeous carrot cake!
This is probably one of my favourite cakes due to the fact that it is so moist and tasty ...and as its almost half carrot it must certainly be good for you and im sure it counts as one of your five a day hahaha, as I say to myself while tucking into my fourth piece :)))
My version, as so many, has nuts in but I haven't opted for walnuts or pecans..mine uses pistachios and with the orange zest...my goodness does it work well! The cake itself is so easy to make and the end result is amazing. I did it as a tray bake today but please feel free to use 2 x 8" cake tins and use the half the frosting to fill the two cakes and the remaining on top.

The Best Carrot Cake Ever with Pistachio Nuts

250ml vegetable oil
150g caster sugar
100g soft muscavado sugar
Zest ½ to 3/4 large orange
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon (ground)
3 large free-range eggs
250 self-raising flour, sifted
250g carrots, coarsely grated (about 3 large carrots)
100g pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

THE CREAM CHEESE ICING
150g cream cheese
150g mascarpone
75g icing sugar, sifted
Zest ½ orange

Heat the oven to 180C/170c Grease a shallow 20x30cm (8x12in) cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm (2in) above the tin.
Place the oil, sugars, orange zest and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer bowl and mix on a medium speed until well beaten. Reduce the speed of the mixer and gradually add the eggs.
Sift over the flour and spices and gently fold in with a large metal spoon until smooth. Fold in the grated carrot and the chopped pistachio nuts. Spoon the batter into the tin and smooth the surface.
Bake for about 35 mins, or until golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin, then, with the help of the overhanging baking paper, lift the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing, mix together all the ingredients until smooth and light. Spread over the top of the cake.