Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Serves: 12

• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 4 cups coarsely grated carrot
• 1 cup walnuts (roughly chopped)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 5 eggs (lightly beaten)
• 300g sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
  
• 250g cream cheese
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
• 1 tsp lemon essence OR grated lemon rind

Preparation method

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 2 hours | Extra time: 2 hours, cooling

1.

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C and grease and flour EITHER a 25cm round cake pan OR 2 x large loaf tins. Ideally use non-stick pans, and if you don't use non stick pans raise the oven temperature to 170 degrees.

2.

Sift flours, bicarb soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir through caster sugar.

3.

In a separate bowl lightly beat eggs then whisk in the vegetable oil, then whisk in the sour cream, then whisk in the vanilla essence. Don't over whisk the liquid, only whisk until each ingredient is combined and mixture is smooth.

4.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and slowly fold in the liquid mix, then continue to stir until smooth and combined.

5.

Stir through walnuts and then stir through carrot, ensuring this is evenly spread throughout the mix.

6.

Pour into greased and floured pans and bake in preheated oven at 160-170 degrees C for 2 hours. Ensure cake is rotated in the oven at half way through the cooking time. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

7.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes once it is removed from the oven before turning it out on a wire rack to cool completely.

8.

To make the icing beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and combined.

9.

Gradually add the icing and continue to beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy.

10.

Beat in the vanilla and lemon essences quickly then spread icing over cooled cake and leave to set in fridge for 2+ hours - ENJOY!