Name: Best-ever carrot cake with cream cheese icing
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; 1 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar; 1 1/4 cup neutral tasting oil (Nici used sunflower); 2 cup high-grade flour; 1 cup wholemeal flour; 2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ginger; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 3 teaspoon baking powder; 3 cup grated carrot; 1/2 cup pumpkin and sunflower seeds; 2 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, to garnish; Cream cheese icing; 200 gram cream cheese, at room temperature; 30 gram butter, softened; 2 cup icing sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla

Best-ever carrot cake with cream cheese icing

With its wholemeal flour and vegetables (even seeds), Nici Wickes' carrot cake is as robust as it is delicious. This recipe creates a light, airy and huge cake, so tuck in!

Makes 24 centimetre

Cook

Ingredients

4 large eggs

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cup neutral tasting oil (Nici used sunflower)

2 cup high-grade flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoon baking powder

3 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup pumpkin and sunflower seeds

2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, to garnish

Cream cheese icing

200 gram cream cheese, at room temperature

30 gram butter, softened

2 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1.Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 24cm square tin with baking paper.

2.Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Add the oil and beat again until well blended. Add the sifted dry ingredients – flours, spices, baking soda and baking powder – and mix thoroughly but with a light hand. Fold in the carrots, seeds and lemon juice.

3.Pour into the prepared tin.

4.Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5.Allow to cool in the tin until warm before turning out on to a wire rack.

6.Ice with cream cheese icing once completely cooled and shower with toasted walnuts.