Carrot Cake

This is a  knock-out winner with everybody and its simply irresistible. It makes most of the natural sweetness of carrots and looks so tempting with a simple icing and walnut decoration. Its a perfect mood lifter for the dull Sunday evening and a must have dish for those midnight kitchen raids :)

This recipe serves 6

Ingredients

Butter for greasing

100 gms self raising flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

125g soft brown sugar

2 eggs beaten

5 tbsp sunflower oil

125 g carrots grated

1 banana chopped

25 gms chopped and toasted walnuts and almonds

Icing

40 g butter softened

3 tbsp soft cheese

175g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp orange

grated rind of 1/2 orange

walnut pieces to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C or 375 degrees F. Grease a 7 inch square or a medium cake tin and line it with baking paper
2. Sift the flour, salt, mixed spice and nutmeg in a bowl.Stir in brown sugar, then eggs and oil.Add the carrots, banana and chopped nuts and mix all of them well.
3. Spoon the mixture into prepared cake tin and level the surface. Transfer the tin to preheated oven and bake for 55 min or until golden & firm to touch. )The cake might feel tender but firms up as it cools down) Remove from oven and let it cool, when cool enough to handle turn the cake onto wire rack and leave to cool completely
4. To make icing, place the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and orange juice along with the rind and beat it all together until creamy. Spread icing on top of the cold cake and scatter the walnut pieces.

Your cake is ready to be devoured.

Happy cooking!!