Carrot Cake

    CUTS INTO 8 SLICES

Ingredients

200g/7oz plain flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

150 g/5oz dark muscovado sugar

200ml/7 fl oz vegetable oil

3 medium eggs

225g/8 oz carrots, peeled and roughly grated

50g/2 oz chopped walnuts

   

For the icing: 

175g/6oz cream cheese finely grated rind of orange

1tbsp orange juice

1tsp vanilla essence

125g/4 oz icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C/300 degrees F/Gas Mark 2, 10 minutes before baking. Lightly oil and line the base of a deep 15 cm/6 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. 

Sift the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together into a large bowl. Stir in the dark muscovado sugar  and mix together. Lightly whisk the oil and eggs together, then gradually stir into the flour and sugar mixture. Stir well.

Add the carrots and walnuts. Mix thoroughly, then pour into prepared cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until light and springy to touch and skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. Reserve until cold.

To make the icing, beat together the cream, orange rind, orange juice and vanilla essence. Sift the icing sugar and stir into cream cheese mixture.

When cold, discard the lining paper, spread the cream cheese icing over the top and serve cut into squares.