Brown Butter Apple & Carrot Cake (With Brown Butter Icing)

The first breaths of autumn caressed me this morning. The air, undoubtedly crisper. How long before the hazy hues of summer disappear into burnt umbers, mellow browns and warm yellows?

The first browning leaves swept under my feet as I hurried through the city. I pulled my pashmina tighter around my neck. Wondered how long it would be before I had to switch to a thicker scarf.

When I could trade in my bare legs for thick back tights. My outdoor lunches of salad to indoor lunches of soup. Cardigans for coats. Ballet pumps for boots. Bronzer for blusher.

Freshly plucked and pulled carrots and apples. Cozy brown butter. Autumn is coming.

Ingredients

Cake

75gr butter
125gr soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
150gr self raising flour
150gr carrots, roughly grated
1 large eating apple, cored and roughly grated

Icing
75gr butter
175gr icing sugar
Couple of tablespoons of water

Method

1, First make the cake by preheating the oven to 170o/c and line (or spray with cake release) an 8 inch square tin.
2, Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat until melted. Gently simmer it until it takes on a golden nutty brown colour and smell. Take off the heat immediately to prevent burning and let it cool slightly.
3, Beat the butter, eggs and sugar together. Fold through the flour until you have a smooth batter.
4, Fold through the grated carrots and apple until well combined.
5, Pour into your prepared tin and bake for 25-30minutes until springy to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before icing.
6, Make the icing by browning the butter in the same way as before, leaving to cool slightly again.
7, Whisk in the icing sugar and slowly add a couple of drops of water until you have a smooth, spreadable icing.
8, Top your cooled cake with the icing and serve.