Carrot Cake
Serves 9
Calories per serving: 310
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 1 orange
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 1 lemon
- 2 1/2 cups carrots, finely grated
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup ground almonds
- 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- For the icing
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup full-fat cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line the base of an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper. Lightly brush a little vegetable oil over the base and sides.
- Grate the zest of the orange and set aside. Squeeze the orange juice into a bowl and add the golden raisins to the juice. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or standing mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar with the orange zest for five minutes until pale and full of air. Add the grated carrot and beat to incorporate.
- Slowly add in the spices, salt, ground almonds, baking soda and flour, then quickly mix until all the ingredients are combined.
- Using a spatula, mix in the raisins and walnuts, along with any orange juice left in the bowl, until they are evenly distributed.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake and removed comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then remove from the pan. Chill in refrigerator for an hour once cooled.
- To make the icing: In a large bowl, beat the first cup of sugar with the cream cheese, using a wooden spoon. Once you reach a paste, add the remaining sugar along with the lemon juice and zest. Beat vigorously to combine. Refrigerate at least a half hour. Ice all over the top of the cold cake, slice into 9 portions and serve.