Carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting

This is the recipe I created for the wedding of Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith. The cake itself is wonderfully moist, with a delicious blend of carrots, fruit and spices, and naturally dairy-free without the frosting. For alternative frosting ideas, including dairy-free, check out the book.

MAKES A 20CM ROUND CAKE 4 large eggs 300ml sunflower oil 150g golden caster sugar 150g soft light brown sugar 350g plain flour 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 40g stem ginger, chopped grated zest of 2 oranges grated zest of 2 lemons 100g walnuts, chopped 100g desiccated coconut 200g sultanas soaked in 50ml rum for 1 hour 350g carrots, peeled and grated

FOR THE SYRUP 150g soft light brown sugar juice of 2 lemons juice of 2 oranges

TO FINISH 1 x quantity cream cheese frosting flavoured with orange zest or vanilla (see recipe, right)

1 Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. Line the base and sides of a deep-sided 20cm cake tin with nonstick baking parchment. 2 Blend the eggs, oil and sugars until well mixed. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda together and stir into the oil mixture to create a smooth batter. 3 Add the remaining ingredients until well mixed and spoon into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 2 hours until well risen, golden brown and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. 4 As soon as the cake is in the oven, prepare the syrup. Measure the ingredients into a jug and stir until dissolved. 5 As soon as the cake is baked, place the tin on a wire rack, spike the entire cake with a skewer and pour over the syrup. Leave the cake to completely cool in the tin. 6 Make the frosting (see recipe, right). Turn the cooled cake out of the tin and use a palette knife to surround the top and sides of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. Use a side scraper to professionally smooth the sides of the cake. Refrigerate to set. STORE for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Suitable for freezing. VARIATION For added crunch, finish the cake with a generous sprinkling of caramelised walnut praline, as in the picture – see the book for full instructions.