Carrot Cake

I love anything with nuts. Anything. This is a really easy recipe that gives you something pretty impressive without a massive amount of effort. Amazing with a cuppa. I kind of winged this recipe a bit depending on what I had in but it turned out pretty good so I'd better write it down before I forget.

Serves 10-12    Prep Time 1hr   Cooking Time 20-25mins

Ingredients:

375g self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
375g caster sugar
375g butter, melted - you can also use baking spread like Stork (I do)
5 large eggs
4/5 carrots, peeled and grated (use 4 if they're medium and 5 if they're large)
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g sultanas
Zest of 1 orange

4 tsp cinnamon

Grating of 1/4 nutmeg

1 tsp orange essence (optional)

To decorate:
115g butter, at room temperature

225g icing sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

2tbsp milk

Orange and green fondant icing to make carrots

100g chopped walnuts

Equipment:

Weighing scales

3x 20cm non-stick cake tins

Wooden spoon

Grater

Large mixing bowl or stand mix with beater attached

Greaseproof paper 

Spatula 

Sieve 

Preheat the oven to 170°c/fan 160°c/gas 4

Line your cake tins by smearing some butter or cooking spread around the inside in a very light layer and lining the bottom of each with a disk of greaseproof paper. I do this by cutting a square off the roll and folding it over on itself until you have a point where you can measure the size you need and open out for a perfect circle. But, however. 

Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together until you have a light, pale and fluffy paste. You can do this in a stand mixer if you have one. 

Next add your eggs, one at a time, beating each time you add to emulsify the mix. 

Now it's time to add the flavourings; the vanilla extract, orange essence, the orange zest, the cinnamon, nutmeg, the grated carrots and the sultanas. Give this a good mix to distribute evenly. 

Now you can add your flour and baking powder. Do this carefully in a folding motion so the flour doesn't get over worked (this will lose the lightness). If you're using a stand mixer then I would take it off the mixer and this point and incorporate the flour by hand. 

Your mix can then be divided between your 3 cake tins and placed in the oven. Bake them for around 15-20 mins, checking with a cocktail stick - if it comes out clean, they're done. 

Leaving them to cool in the tins whilst you get on with the toppings.

The frosting is really easy - put the butter, half the milk, and the vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and blended using a hand-held electric mixer or a wooden spoon. Sift in the icing sugar and carefully mix together to incorporate. If the mixture is a bit stiff add the remaining milk. 

For the carrots - roll a ball of orange fondant about the size of a small grape between your palms to soften then roll into a sausage, tapering one end to get a carrot shape, I then make indentations all along to make it look a little more, erm, carroty. 

Now you're ready to build your cake! Take your serving dish/cake stand and add a small dollop of the icing just to stop the cake from sliding. Then add your first cake, upside down and with the greaseproof removed. Use your ugliest cake here. Then smooth over 1/3 of you icing with a spatula and sprinkle with a few chopped walnuts. Do this again with your next cake and finally add your loveliest cake on top. Adorn with icing, your 12 carrots and sprinkle the remaining walnuts all over. 

Then take a photo and put it on Instagram.