Carrot cake loaf



Ingredients

For the carrot cake
140ml/4¾fl oz vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
2 free-range eggs
200g/7oz light brown sugar
300g/10½oz grated carrot (grated weight)
100g/3½oz raisins
75g/2½oz pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
180g/6oz self-raising flour
1 pinch salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp mixed spice
For the orange cream cheese icing
200g/7oz full-fat cream cheese, chilled
50g/1¾oz butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g/1¾oz icing sugar, sifted
1 orange, zest only

Method

Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Oil and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin (approximately 13x23cm/5x9in) with baking paper.

For the carrot cake, beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrot, raisins and chopped nuts.

Sift in the remaining cake ingredients and mix using a wooden or large metal spoon until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the surface and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

For the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until well combined. Add the vanilla extract, icing sugar and orange zest and mix until the icing is smooth and thick. Using a palette knife, spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake, dipping the knife into a bowl of hot water if the icing is hard to spread out. Cut into slices to serve.

Recipe Tips : pg