Recipe - Carrot Cake

Ingredients

For the cake
240ml groundnut or vegetable oil
300g caster sugar
4 eggs, seperated
4 tbsp of milk
180g carrot, grated
120g walnuts, chopped finely (plus some for decoration)
100g raisins
240g plain flour
2.5  tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon

For the frosting
200g unsalted butter
175g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
525g cream cheese

Method to the madness

Preheat the oven to 170c. Butter two non-stick sandwich tins. Line the base with baking paper and butter this too. Whisk the oil and sugar together, separate the egg yolk and whites then whisk in the egg yolks and milk.

Fold in the carrot, nuts and raisins. Sift the flour, spices and baking powder in to the bowl and combine all the ingredients.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold these into the cake mixture in two goes.

Divide the mixture between the two cake tins before popping them in the oven to bake for 30-35mins.

 Once a knife or skewer comes out clean then turn them out of their tins and leave to cool.

While the cakes are cooling it's time to make the frosting. Whisk the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and contiure to whisk until combined. Add the cream cheese and mix by hand until completely smooth.

Remove the baking paper from the cakes and dollop a layer of cream cheese on to one of the cakes. Sandwich this between the other cake and add the remaining frosting on the top and sides. Sprinkle with cinnamon and decorate with chopped walnuts. Place in the fridge to set for an hour before serving.

A very delicious Sunday afternoon treat!

C x