Simple to make, yet worthy of a gold star, this carrot cake really is a winner in the afternoon tea department. Rich, moist and flavourful, it’s an all-round winner.
SERVES 8
- 155ml (5½fl oz) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- 230g (8oz) self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice spice
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, grated
- 230g (8oz) dark brown sugar
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 100g (3½oz) walnuts, chopped
- 75g (2½oz) golden sultanas
- 260g (9oz) carrots, coarsely grated
- 3 large free-range eggs, beaten
ICING
- 150g (5¼oz) butter, softened
- 200g (7oz) full-fat cream cheese
- 200g (7oz) icing sugar
- 2 tsp orange juice
- 1 orange, zest of
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease two 18cm (7in) loose-bottomed, round cake tins and line the base with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl. Add the sugar, lemon zest, grated ginger, walnuts and grated carrots, then stir until well combined. Combine the oil and eggs, then mix well with the dry ingredients.
3. Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
4. Transfer to a cooling rack, leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely before icing.
5. For the icing, beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until soft. Add the icing sugar, orange juice and half of the zest, beat again.
6. Now add the cream cheese and beat again until well mixed.
7. Store, covered, in the fridge until needed.
8. To decorate, place half of the icing on top of one cake layer, sandwich the second layer on top and ice the top of the cake with the remaining icing. Decorate by scattering the remaining orange zest over the top.