Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ginger beer
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 tsp dried instant yeast
• 2  3/4 cups ’00’ flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp ground allspice 
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 carrot, grated (150g)
• 1/4 cup double cream

Cream Cheese Icing:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture, sifted
• Poppy seeds and edible flowers, to decorate

Carrot Cake Doughnuts with Cream Cheese Icing Method

1. Place the ginger beer and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat, and heat until just warmed. Add yeast and mix to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes- the mixture should be foamy on the surface after this time.

2. Place the flour, ground cinnamon, allspice and caster sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a dough hook. Add the ginger beer mixture and mix on medium speed until combined. Add the egg yolks, butter, carrot and cream and mix for 4 minutes, or until the mixture has formed a smooth and sticky dough.

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and place in warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly dusted floured surface to 1.5cm thick. Using an 8.5cm round cutter, cut out 8 doughnuts (you may need to reform and re-roll the dough as you go). Place the doughnuts on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Use a 3cm round cutter to cut the centre out of each doughnut.

5. Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese icing, place the cream cheese and sifted icing sugar mixture in a bowl of a stand fitted mixer fitter with the beater attachment. Beat for 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

6. Spread the cream cheese icing over the cooled doughnuts and decorate with poppy seeds and edible flowers to serve.