Classic carrot cake

This cake will serve 12 so is ideal for family gatherings.

Ingredients

4	Eggs
2 cups	Caster sugar
1 ¼ cups	Rice bran oil
3 Tbsp	Canned crushed pineapple
1 cup	Pecans, or walnuts, roughly chopped
2 cups	Plain flour (Main)
2 tsp	Baking powder
1 ½ tsp	Baking soda
2 tsp	Cinnamon
1 tsp	Salt
2 cups	Carrots, grated (Main)
½ cup	Sultanas

Icing

250 g	Cream cheese, softened
100 g	Butter, softened
3 cups	Icing sugar, sifted
2	Lemons, zested and juiced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease or line 24cm cake tin.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar until well combined and creamy. Slowly add the oil and continue beating. Stir in the pineapple and nuts.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold into the mixture.
4. Fold in the carrot and the sultanas. Pour into the cake tin and bake for approximately 1 hour.
5. Test with a skewer - if the skewer is sticky, bake for a further 5-10 minutes. Leave to rest for 15 minutes before turning out to let cool while making the icing.
6. To make the icing, beat all the ingredients together until smooth, then spread on to the cake.

Cook's tip

Lightly roast the walnuts and pecans together before adding to the carrot cake. This will add a lovely toasty flavour. Soften the cream cheese or use the spreadable alternative to give a magnificent creamy icing.