Ingredients
200g Soft Light Brown Sugar
100g dark Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
150ml Sunflower Oil
300g Plain Flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, plus extra to decorate
2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
½ tsp Fresh Ground Ginger
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
400g Carrots, grated (blend half to pesto like consistency)
Zest from one orange
Juice from the orange
100g Shelled Walnuts/ Pecans, chopped, plus extra, chopped and whole, to decorate or raisin
OR
100g white chocolate chunks and
100g raisins
Preparation
2 Put the sugar, eggs, orange juice and oil in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well mixed.
3 Stir in the grated carrots, orange zest and other ingredients (raising and chocolate or walnuts) with a spoon, then pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and the sponge bounces back when touched. Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
4 When the cake is cold, spread over the cream cheese icing.
5 Finish with chopped walnuts and a light sprinkling of cinnamon.
Cream cheese frosting
Ingredients:
300g icing sugar, sifted
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g cream cheese, cold
One lemon zest Juice from one lemon
Instructions:
1 Beat the icing sugar, lemon juice and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
2 Add the cream cheese and lemon zest in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed.
3 Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy- for at least 5 minutes. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.
