JOHN PARTRIDGE’S
CARROT CAKE
serves 16
● Butter, for greasing
● 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
● 400g golden caster sugar
● 300ml vegetable oil
● 4 eggs
● 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
● 2 tsp ground cinnamon
● 1 tsp salt
● 200g fresh or canned pineapple, chopped
● 450g carrots, peeled and grated
● 150g pecan nuts, chopped, plus extra whole ones to decorate (optional)
FOR THE ICING:
● 200g unsalted butter, at room temperatre
● 450g icing sugar
● 3 tsp maple syrup
● 250g cream cheese, at room temperature ● 100g walnuts, chopped, to decorate
STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 190˚C/fan 170˚C/gas mark 5. Grease two 20cm round, loose-bottomed cake tins, then dust with flour.
STEP 2 Beat the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. STEP 3 In another bowl, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the egg mixture and mix until lump-free. Fold in the pineapple, carrots and pecans.
STEP 4 Divide between the tins and bake for 30-40 mins. They’re ready when a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool. STEP 5 For the icing, cream the butter until fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar a little at a time. Beat in the maple syrup, then the cream cheese. Cover and refrigerate until the cakes are cooled.
STEP 6 Remove the cakes from the tins. Spread one cake with a third of the icing. Top with the second cake. Cover the top and sides with the remaining icing. I pipe little mounds on the top and add a pecan to each but that’s optional. Cover the sides with the walnuts. ● Recipe from There’s No Taste Like Home by John Partridge (Mitchell Beazley, £20, Octopusbooks.co.uk)