OUR SHOWSTOPPER

Top this classic carrot cake with moreish cream cheese icing and chopped walnuts or pecans. Serve as a sweet treat with a cup of tea any time of day

Make this month’s must-try recipe

Serves 10-12

Prep 35 mins plus cooling Cook 30 mins un-iced

235ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin

100g natural yogurt

4 large eggs

11/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 orange, zested

265g self-raising flour

335g light muscovado sugar

21/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 fresh nutmeg, finely grated

265g carrots (about 3), grated

100g sultanas or raisins

100g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)

FOR THE ICING

100g slightly salted butter, softened 300g icing sugar

100g full-fat cream cheese

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and orange zest together in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together with a pinch of salt in a bowl, breaking up any lumps of sugar.

2 Add the wet ingredients to the dry along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the prepared tins. Bake for

25-30 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins.

3 To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the cream cheese and beat again, then beat in the remaining cream cheese. Turn one of the cakes out onto a cake stand or serving plate, top with half the icing, then sandwich together with the other cake. Spread the remaining icing over the top and decorate with the remaining nuts, if using. Serve at room temperature. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days.

PER SERVING (12) 680 kcals, fat 37g, saturates 8g, carbs 78g, sugars 61g, fibre 3g, protein 8g, salt 0.6g