Carrot Cake

Carrot cake & co. (Photo credit: amesis)

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour   : 350gms
Baking Powder         : 2 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda : 1 tsp
Salt                           : 1 tsp
Mixed Spice              : 1 tsp (optional)
Walnut Pieces           : 50 gm (finely chopped)
Eggs                          : 3 (beaten)
Bananas                    : 2 (mashed)
Grated Carrot           : 50 gm
Sunflower oil            : 175 ml

Frosting

Softened unsalted  butter : 175 gm
Cream cheese                    : 200 gm
Vanilla essence                  : 1 tsp
Icing sugar                         : 300 gm (sifted)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 175 (deg C) /350 (deg F) /gas 4 then lightly grease a deep 23-cm (9 in) round cake tin the line it with baking parchment.

• Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the eggs, mashed bananas and carrots. Pour the oil into the bowl and beat thoroughly to a thick, well-blended batter. spoon into the prepared cake tin and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake carefully from the cake tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

• Prepare the frosting by beating together the softened butter and cream cheese until blended into the frosting, then add the vanilla essence and beat again. Sift the icing sugar and beat it gradually into the cheese mixture. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and decorate, if wished, with finely chopped walnuts or a little extra grated carrot. Serve in thin slices.