Carrot and apricot cake biscuits

Ingredients

115 g/4 oz butter cubed and softened

85 g/ 3 oz caster sugar

75 g/ 2 and a half oz soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teasp vanilla extract

150 g/ 5 and a half oz self raising flour

half teasp ground cinnamon

25 g/1 oz dessicated coconut

85 g/3 oz grated carrots

50g/ 2 oz chopped dried apricots

Method

Grease 3 large baking trays and line with greased proof paper

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C for a fan oven/190 degrees C/375 degrees F/Gas Mark 5 

Place butter and sugars in a large bowl and whisk until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix a little more. Sift the flour and cinnamon and add gradually to the mixture. Next stir in the  grated carrot and apricot pieces.

Drop heaped spoonfuls  of the mixture on to the baking sheets, keeping the dollops well apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the edges are just beginning to go golden. Remove from the oven and leave for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These are very cakey biscuits and would be even better with some icing.

The following recipe for frosted icing comes from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & other Tempting Treats ed. Susanna Tee; pub. Paragon books 2009). Put 40 g/1 and a half oz soft cream cheese, 25g/1 oz butter & a half teasp of vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat until smooth. Sift in 200 g/7oz icing sugar and beat together until well combined. 

I think the frosted icing would make these biscuits very difficult to carry to church and I’m slightly horrified at the amount of sugar involved, so I might just melt some white chocolate for a topping instead