Easy carrot cake

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N/A

Serves 10-12

Source

Ingredients

230ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin

100g natural yogurt

4 large eggs

1½ tsp vanilla extract

½ orange, zested

265g self-raising flour

335g light muscovado sugar

2½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ fresh nutmeg, finely grated

265g carrots (about 3), grated

100g sultanas or raisins

100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)

100g slightly salted butter, softened

300g icing sugar

100g soft cheese

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.

Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.

To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature.