An oven, some spices, and nowhere to be.
Outside, the leaves are falling. Inside, the oven is warming up, the house smells of cinnamon and nobody is watching the clock.
October has its own way of slowing us down. The days get shorter, the jumpers come out of the wardrobe and afternoons at home suddenly become very tempting.
A throw, a book, a candle. And something good coming out of the oven.
At Chabi Chic, we love the little rituals that turn ordinary moments into precious memories. So, to go with these autumn days, we have picked two homemade recipes that are as indulgent as they are comforting: a moist carrot cake and cinnamon rolls.
With, of course, our little CHABI touch: a few dates, some orange blossom water, a pinch of cardamom. A nod to the flavours of Morocco, because some things never change.
In this article
1. Moist carrot cake with dates and orange blossom
Moist, fragrant and generous, carrot cake is one of those cakes that make rainy afternoons so much nicer.
Cinnamon and ginger bring warmth, the carrots give it a melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the walnuts add just the right amount of crunch.
Our little difference? Dates and a touch of orange blossom water, for a version subtly inspired by Moroccan flavours.
Serves
8 slices
Prep
20 min
Bake
40 to 45 min
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250 g carrots, finely grated
- 200 g brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 150 ml neutral oil
- 250 g flour
- 1 sachet of baking powder (11 g)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pinch of salt
- 80 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- The CHABI touch: 4 chopped dates and 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
For the frosting
- 150 g cream cheese
- 50 g softened butter
- 80 g icing sugar
- The zest of one orange
Step by step
1
Preheat.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C and butter a loaf tin or a 20 cm round tin.
2
Mix.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the brown sugar. Add the oil and the orange blossom water.
3
Time for the spices.
In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the mixture.
4
The indulgent touch.
Add the grated carrots, chopped dates and walnuts. Fold gently, without overworking the batter, so the cake stays beautifully moist.
5
Into the oven.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Check with the tip of a knife: it should come out clean.
6
The patience test.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Yes, completely. We know, it's hard.
7
The finishing touch.
Whisk the cream cheese with the softened butter, icing sugar and orange zest. Spread the frosting generously over the cooled cake.
And there you go. All that's left is to cut a nice big slice.
✦ The CHABI tip: carrot cake is even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to develop. A bit like a good tagine.
2. Cinnamon rolls with cardamom and orange blossom
Some smells make you want to stay home straight away. Cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven are one of them.
These little rolled buns are soft, generous and topped with a melting glaze. The kind of treat you bake for an afternoon snack that mysteriously disappears before dinner.
For our version, we added a pinch of cardamom, a few chopped almonds and a touch of orange blossom. Enough to take this autumn recipe on a journey between Nordic comfort and Moroccan inspiration.
Makes
8 rolls
Prep
30 min
Rising
1 h 30
Bake
20 to 25 min
Ingredients
For the dough
- 300 g flour
- 40 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 g dried baker's yeast
- 120 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 50 g melted butter
For the filling
- 60 g softened butter
- 70 g brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- The CHABI touch: 1 pinch of cardamom and a few chopped almonds
For the glaze
- 100 g cream cheese
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- The CHABI touch: a drizzle of honey and a few drops of orange blossom water
Step by step
1
Make the dough.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and dried yeast. Add the lukewarm milk, the egg and the melted butter.
2
Knead.
Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for one hour somewhere warm.
In the meantime? A coffee. A chapter of your book. Nothing urgent.
3
Roll out.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle of about 30 × 40 cm.
4
Add the flavour.
Spread the dough with the softened butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom, then add the chopped almonds.
5
Roll up.
Roll the dough up tightly along the long side, then cut it into 8 slices. Place the rolls in a buttered dish, cover and leave to rest for another 30 minutes.
6
Into the oven.
Bake at 180 °C for 20 to 25 minutes, until the buns are nicely golden.
7
The glaze.
Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and milk. Add a drizzle of honey and a few drops of orange blossom water. Spread over the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm.
The glaze melts slightly into the buns. The house smells of cinnamon. All is well.
✦ The CHABI tip: no time for a yeast dough? Use puff pastry for a quick version, ready in about 30 minutes. It won't be quite as soft, but it will be just as delicious.
3. The CHABI ritual: the art of savouring autumn
Recipes are good. The ritual around them is even better.
At Chabi Chic, we believe everyday objects take on their full meaning in the moments they are part of. The cup you always reach for first. A small plate kept for your slice of cake. A tray you carry to the living room to make teatime last a little longer.
Our handcrafted Moroccan ceramics naturally find their place in these simple moments, between colours, patterns and the joy of sharing.
For the perfect autumn afternoon, our recipe is quite simple:
- ✦ A throw, a book and a candle.
- ✦ A slice of carrot cake or a still-warm cinnamon roll.
- ✦ A steaming coffee, served in the right cup.
- ✦ A biscuit dunked for three seconds. Not four.
- ✦ And the phone in the other room. On purpose.
Because some moments deserve our full attention.
And because a cup has one job. Just one. Holding your coffee. Not your pens.
Wrong job. Right cup. ✨
4. What if we simply took our time?
Autumn doesn't need much. An oven, a few spices, a little patience and that smell of cinnamon drifting through the house.
Whether you choose the carrot cake with dates and orange blossom or the cardamom cinnamon rolls, what matters stays the same: enjoying the making, the serving and the sharing.
At Chabi Chic, that is also our idea of the art of living: turning the small moments of everyday life into true rituals.
So, carrot cake or cinnamon rolls?
Tell us your favourite on our social media, and share these recipes with someone who could use a little sweetness this month.
And to go with your autumn teatimes, discover the Chabi Chic tableware collection.