Laura’s Carrot Cake
Cake
– 320g carrots
– 300g wholemeal self-raising flour
– 200g soft-brown sugar
– 2 tsp cinnamon
– 1 tsp ginger
– 1/2 tsp nutmeg
– 5 eggs
– 235ml vegetable oil
– 2 tbsp golden syrup
– 60g chopped nuts of your choice
Icing
– 225g full fat cream cheese (room temp)
– 115g butter (room temp)
– 360g icing sugar
– 1 tbsp vanilla extract–
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1. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
2. Line and grease two 8” cake tins.
3. Sieve the self-raising flour into a large mixing bowl.
4. Add soft-brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and mix.
5. Beat the eggs and add to the flour mixture along with the vegetable oil and golden syrup. Mix well.
6. Chop the nuts (remember to keep some aside for decoration) and mix.
7. Grate the carrots and fold into the cake mix.
8. Pour the cake mix equally into the two prepared cake tins. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 30-40 mins.
The cake is ready when a skewer comes out of the cake clean. It will have started to shrink away from the edges and when pressed softly the cake should bounce back to its original shape.
9. Meanwhile make the icing. Cream together the butter and cream cheese using an electric mixer until combined and lump free.
10. Add the vanilla extract and stir well.
11. Add the sieved icing sugar gradually, mixing on a low speed until it is all combined, fluffy and stiff.
12. Ice the cake once completely cooled.
13. To decorate sprinkle some chopped nuts over the cake.
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To note:
• It is important that the butter is at room temperature. If it is too cold it will cause lumpy icing.
• The cream cheese must be full fat as low fat alternatives contain too much liquid and the icing will be too runny.
• Don’t overmix the icing or it will become runny.
• The cake must be completely cooled before icing to stop it melting and running off the edge.
• If the icing becomes too thick add 1-2 tbsp milk.
• Nuts could be left out or substituted with raisins, sultanas etc.
