Spiced Carrot Cake

Ingredients

  • 250 ml Oil
  • 4 Carrots
  • 1 Lemon
  • 100 g Currants
  • 100 g Pecans
  • 280 g Flour
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Ground Cardamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 4 tbsp Candied Ginger
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 200 g Caster Sugar
  • 200 g Light Brown Sugar
  • 30 g Coconut Flakes

Butter Cream

  • 200 g Butter
  • 200 g Cream Cheese
  • 125 g Icing Sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm traybake tin.
  • Peel and grate the carrots into a large bowl, then grate in the lemon zest. Mix in the currants, then roughly chop and add the pecans.
  • In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, all the spices and ½ a teaspoon of sea salt. Dice and add the ginger, then split open the tea bag, pour in the leaves, and mix well.
  • Whisk the eggs in a mixing jug, then mix in both sugars and the vegetable oil. Pour over the carrots, give it a good stir, then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, for the buttercream, place the butter in the bowl of a free-standing mixer and beat for about 5 minutes, or until creamy.
  • Add the cream cheese and beat until just combined. Next, add the icing sugar and beat again until smooth – don't overmix it, or your icing will be runny! Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, then spoon over the cake and spread out evenly.
  • Toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, or until lightly golden, tossing occasionally. Scatter over the iced cake, then slice up and enjoy!