Classic carrot cake

There is a reason this sweet treat has remained a long-time family favourite. The recipe is perfect from the deliciously creamy filling inside the layered cake, to the perfect overall sweet flavour that tops it all off.

Carrot cake is the best for pleasing crowds so you could try this for a tasty afternoon tea treat alongside a hot cuppa or whip it up for special events like birthdays or family get togethers. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups (295ml) canola or other vegetable oil
• 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
• 1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups (300g) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)
• 1 cup (100g) coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (65g) raisins
  Icing
• 225g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (140g) icing sugar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) thickened cream
• 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely chopped pecans, for topping cake

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C. Grease two round cake pans and line bottom with baking paper. Grease top of paper. In medium bowl, whisk flour, bicarb soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.
   In separate bowl, whisk oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
2. With large rubber spatula, scrape sides and bottom of bowl then add dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and batter is smooth. Stir in carrots, nuts, and raisins.
3. Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until tops of cake layers are springy when touched and when fork stuck in centre of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off baking paper and cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in icing sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time until fluffy. Pour in cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Chill covered until ready to ice cake.
5. When cake layers are completely cool, ice top of one cake layer, place other cake layer on top. Decoratively swirl top of cake with remaining frosting, leaving sides bare. Scatter nuts on top. Serve.