Original Recipe: Edmonds

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup flour (wholemeal can be used if desired)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrot, lightly packed
• 1 cup sultanas or mixed dried fruit
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup oil (don’t use olive oil)
• 2 eggs

Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon or orange zest

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c. Lightly grease a 20cm square tin and line the base and two sides with grease-proof paper (grease the grease-proof paper with a little butter once it’s in the tin), or use a 20cm ring tin, lightly greased and dusted with flour.
2. Put the flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl and mix them thoroughly.
3. Add the sugar, grated carrot, fruit and walnuts, and mix again.
4. With a fork, beat together the oil and the eggs, and add them to the other ingredients. Mix until well combined and pour into the prepared tin.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched, or a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Cool in the tin for a few minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
6. Once the cake is fully cooled, make the cream cheese icing.

Making the cream cheese icing

Beat the softened butter and the cream cheese together, then beat in the icing sugar and lemon or orange zest. Spread over cake.

Note: The original recipe asks for 1 cup of sugar, I’ve halved it for my version of the recipe. Halving the sugar doesn’t affect the flavour or result of most recipes.

This article was provided by Ben Knowles – Editor @ The Upper Hutt Connection

26/01/24