I spent some time with my mother’s recipe book yesterday, 
which looks suspicously like my own.
I thought I might try her custard recipe, (eggs you see!) but I understand now why she always ended up making it from the Edmonds Instant Custard packet. I cannot work out her recipe for Elaine’s custard either. 
I decided to make carrot cake instead from Deb’s recipe book. I have been after this recipe for years and Deb had to go back to an old friends to finally find it for us. And her daughter kindly copied it from Debs recipe book while I was visiting. 
So I shall share this with you.
Louisa’s Carrot Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 small tin crushed pineapple
- 2 small cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup grapeseed oil (or sunflower)
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 scant tsp salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Mix everything together. (typical NZ method) Bake at 180 (350F) for 40 – 60 minutes.
Cream Cheese Icing (Frosting)
- 125g cream cheese (1/2 small carton)
- 60g butter (1/2 US stick)
- 2tsp grated orange rind
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
I have to admit that the icing is my favourite part of this cake. Store in the fridge.
Earlier I had made some Home-made fresh cheese and on the wood stove was onion jam. Chopped onions caramelised with red wine, balsamic, brandy and 1 heaped teaspoon of brown sugar.
So we had a very tasty afternoon.
There now. Thats enough cooking for one day. 
The Daily View. 
Good morning. We are still below freezing -yes I have put sand on the steps and my long silk drawers should be arriving this week. It is 14F (-10C) this morning but there is a rumour that the weather will warm up this coming week, just a little would be nice, though so far this winter has been mild and we can’t complain really.
I keep meaning to say that I still visit the Old Codger twice a week and he sends his love. He is doing very well.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
73 responses to “Onion Jam and Carrot Cake”
Your mother’s recipe book looks a lot like my mom’s!! And adding in pineapple to carrot cake is my favorite! Such beautiful photos, looks like a lovely..cold.. day!
Glad to hear the Old Codger is doing well! Everything looks delicious. My mother had the same cookbook!
Morning Miss C, I inherited the matriach’s NZ cookbooks a couple of years ago when she stopped cooking; she turns 101 on 21st January. e
I think 99 is a perfect age to stop cooking.. though i am considering stopping doing dishes a little before that! c
A baker and cake eater I have never been, even before I got so obnoxiously health conscious, BUT have on occasion made banana and nut bread and carrot cake, Perhaps they just sound less sinful 😉 ! Have never put pineapple in mine [such a Down Under ‘thing’!] and just have to try!
True!! we Down Unders need to stick together and of course (re the healthy food thing) in this cake you get your fruit AND your veges.. next time i shall make it with honey, then we are really cooking!! c
Such wonderful cookbooks!
I adore carrot cake so this looks wonderful. Cold cold cold there, keep warm!
you must be a little chilly where you are too, though i am assuming that you have gotton your world back in order after the big storm and do have heating.. i hear some people Are not doing so well!
Yes, luckily the heat is on and there is also plenty of firewood, just in case!
I was going to say I’d like to make some onion jam but who am I kidding? I’ve got all of the jam that I could possibly use for the next year. I need to either give some of it away or make sure to eat some daily — even then I probably won’t get through it all! Your cream cheese frosting with it’s orange zest sounds delicious! Though I like carrot cake, the cream cheese frosting is always my favorite part. Yours even more so.
Have a great Tuesday, Celi!
That cheese looks fantastic, all plump and relaxed.
Glad the old Codger is doing well! Thanks for visiting him (who gets the most out of that, I wonder – giggle. It is very neighborly of you – becoming more and more rare – maybe not in rural areas?)
Love the recipe books pix – real life in those. (carrot cake…drooling – will bookmark…Your kitchen must always smell wonderful!)
Cheese and onion jam sound fantastic, got to try that combination
Sometimes I wonder why I bother to make the cake when the icing is so good on its own. 🙂 good day, c!
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