Double helpings of carrot cake

I had two carrot cake orders last week, one for a 30th birthday celebration and one for my mother-in-law's 70th birthday. Now carrot cakes cry out for cream cheese frosting and I am loathe to spoil this delectable topping with fondant icing, but because of the occasions, the cakes needed to look special.

I toyed with lots of ideas but in the end settled for the simple addition of peeled & cleaned heritage carrots!

The vibrant colours of the carrots really helped to bring the cakes to life and by adding a sprinkling of chopped walnuts, it looked like they were sprouting out of the cake!

The cake for the 30th celebration was "a huge success, thank you so much, David LOVED it!!"

And as for my mother-in-law...

"Thank you so much Hannah for my very special, scrumptious and beautiful birthday cake. Demolished far too quickly to take a photo!!"

Well luckily, I had my camera on me ;-)