Carrot Cake with Orange, Walnut and Thyme Caramel Recipe

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150⁰C/300F. Grease and line the base and sides of two 15cm/6” cake tins. 
2. To make the cake, whisk together the eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the grated carrot, orange and chopped thyme (if using) and mix to combine.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt and spices into a separate bowl. 
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and mix to combine. 
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two tins. 
6. Bake for approximately 40-45 mins until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in cling film and leave for at least a few hours or overnight before filling.
7. To make the thyme caramel, heat the cream gently in a small saucepan and add the thyme, leaving to infuse.
8. Put the sugar into a larger saucepan and heat on med–high until sugar starts dissolves and turns a golden caramel colour, swirling to ensure it is even.
9. Remove from the heat and add in the butter a little bit at a time and stir until smooth (it will sizzle a bit when butter added).
10. Slowly strain the heated cream into the caramel (take care as it sizzles) and stir again until smooth. Add the salt and stir.
11. Pour the caramel into a small jar. You can put a fresh sprig of thyme in the jar to infuse further, remove before use.
12. To make the walnut praline, toast the nuts for 8–10 minutes until golden. Chop finely.
13. Heat the sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until dissolved. Swirl gently but do not stir. Continue to heat gently until the sugar has turned to a caramel colour. Remove from the heat, add the nuts and stir with a spatula to coat.
14. Quickly scrape out onto a piece of baking paper and leave to cool.
15. Break up the praline in a small blender or pestle and mortar.
16. To make the buttercream icing, place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment for 8–10 minutes, scraping down intermittently, until light and fluffy. Add the walnut praline (you may not need all of it) and mix to combine.
17. To assemble the cake, trim the tops of each cake and cut in half horizontally. Place the base cake layer on a board or plate. Spread approximately 1/4 of the buttercream icing on top of the first cake layer and drizzle over the thyme caramel. Place the next cake layer on top and add a layer of buttercream and thyme caramel. Repeat for remaining cake layers, finishing with a layer of buttercream icing. Drizzle caramel over the top or serve the additional caramel in a jug.