Carrot cake

Carrot cake
Makes: one large loaf or two,smaller loaves
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Baking time: 45-60 minutes
Oven temperature: 180°C

• 245ml (225g) soft butter
• 260ml (22Sg) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• finely grated zest of one orange
• 315ml (175g) self-raising flour
• 5ml baking powder
· 5ml ground cinnamon
• 3mI ground mixed spice
• 250ml (100g) chopped walnuts
• 350g carrots, peeled, grated and drained
• 50ml raisins or sultanas

Topping
• 100g soft butter
• 125g (halfa tub) cream cheese
• 500ml (285g) icing sugar, sifted
• 125 ml (50g} chopped walnuts

1 Grease and line the bottom and sides ofthe ca ke tin. Beat the butter and sugar until light. Add
the egg yolks and orange rind.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder and spices. Fold in the butter mixture  along with the nuts.

3 Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are stiff, then fold in the mixture.

4 Spoon into the prepared tin and make a hollow in the middle of the cake with the back of a spoon. Ba ke in a preheated oven for one to one and a quarter hours or until a skewer comes out clean.

5 Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for iS minutes before removing from the tin and leaving to cool on a wire rack.

6 Topping Beat the butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth, then stir in the icing sugar. Refrigerate until firm. Spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle with nuts.