CARROT AND CARDAMON CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM

This cakes works well with the end of season carrots, with the addition of fresh orange it lifts the flavour and adds moisture to this golden cake.

Serves 8-10

150g light brown soft sugar

250ml sunflower oil

3 eggs (medium) beaten

1 tsp cardamom

¼ tsp ground ginger

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 orange, zest and juice

¼ cup golden sultanas (optional)

300g flour

2 tsp baking powder

3 medium carrots (about 250g) grated

Icing

250g mascarpone (or cream cheese)

1 orange, zest

Pinch nutmeg

1 tsp orange juice

50g icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C

Lightly grease a 23cm spring form cake tin and line with baking paper.

Beat the sugar, oil and eggs together in a large bowl. Add the orange zest and juice from one orange, add the sultanas (if using) and add to the carrots.

Sift the flour and spices together and add to the carrot and orange mixture, combine gently and do not over mix.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 mins – 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully turning out on to a wire cooling rack to cool.

To make the icing, for this cake I really like the creamy taste and texture of mascarpone, if using mascarpone I don’t use a mixer I mix it by hand.  Place the mascarpone, orange zest and icing sugar together and whip well with a spatula until lump free and combined.

Generously spread over the top of the cooled carrot cake.

If not eating it will keep covered in the fridge for 2 days.