Delicious nom carrot cake for Lou-face.
The icing makes more than enough for the cake, expect to have extra.
Cake:
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1-¾ tsp. baking soda
- ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp. table salt
- 5 eggs
- 2-½ cups lightly packed, finely grated carrots
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- 2 tsp. vanilla essence
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, with the rack in the center. Line the bottoms of 2 9" round cake pans and grease the sides.
In a large bowl (which will contain all the final mixture), beat together the oil, eggs, carrots, brown sugar, vanilla, walnuts and raisins (if using).
Whisk the remaining dry ingredients together in a medium bowl (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt).
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just mix – don’t overmix or the cake will be tough.
Divide the batter between the two cake pans, and place in the oven for approx. 25-30min until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
When done, let cool in the pans for 10-15 min then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.
For the frosting:
- 450g cream cheese, softened
- 340g butter, softened
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla essence
Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla and icing sugar and beat until fluffy. Set aside at room temperature until the cake has cooled completely to ice it.
Refrigerate the cake for a few hours or days, best served at room temperature or slightly cool. This cake freezes and defrosts well (un-iced).