A Family Favourite Carrot Cake !!

Who does not like carrot cake? I have tried this recipe twice now and I must say it was way better than what you find in stores or patisseries.

It's a bold claim I know, but try and and see for yourself and you're bound to love this cake more so love baking. If you’re a baking virgin this cake is the one to start with.

I remember Martha Stewart's saying that 'Baking is a Science' and like all sciences precision gives you good results. So get yourself a good measuring scale and get baking girls and boys, as for me I'm going to get a bite of that yummy carrot cake waiting for me in the refrigerator

You will need : INGREDIENTS

• 175g or 4 Oz  light muscovado sugar ( Note :1st time I used brown Muscovado & 2nd time I used Molasess which I had to blend with oil  the results were fabulous !)
• 175ml  or 4 Oz sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
• 140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)  ( You could use 4 if you want more carrotie texture to the cake )
• 100g raisins
• grated zest of 1 large orange  ( As I did not have any Oranges I used lemon zest  and lemon juice for Frosting  the 2nd time )
• 175g or 4 Oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour) ( as I could not find fresh nutmeg I used a pinch of ground nutmeg powder)

 FOR FROSTING

175g icing sugar
1½-2 tbsp orange juice or lemon Juice


METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment. The easiest way to do this is to cut two long strips the width of the tin and put each strip crossways, covering the base and sides of the tin, with a double layer in the base.
2. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.
3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients - when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. (You can freeze the cake at this point.)
5. Beat together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth - you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Set the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.