Tropical carrot cake

Passion fruit curd and lime syrup make this cake extra delicious.

SERVES 12 PREP 45 MINS, plus cooling COOK 35 MINS

125g soft, pitted dates 150g butter, at room temperature 150g light muscovado sugar 4 medium eggs 200g self-raising wholemeal flour 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1tsp ground allspice Finely grated zest of 2 limes 200g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

THE LIME SYRUP

Juice of 2 limes 1tbsp caster sugar

THE FROSTING

200g full-fat soft cheese 125g icing sugar 2 passion fruit, pulped and sieved to remove seeds

1/2 x 312g jar passion fruit curd

Heat the oven to 180°c, gas 4. grease two 18cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.

Whizz the dates with 2tbsp warm water in a food processor, to make a purée.

Whisk together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. add the eggs, flour, bicarbonate of soda and allspice, and whisk again to combine. Fold in the lime zest, date purée and carrots.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins, level the surfaces and bake for 30-35 mins until golden and just springy to the touch. allow cakes to cool a little in the tins.

To make the syrup, gently heat the lime juice and sugar in a pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Prick the surface of the cakes all over with a skewer and drizzle over the lime syrup. Leave to cool completely.

For the frosting, whisk together the soft cheese and icing sugar until light. add the strained passion-fruit pulp and whisk again briefly. Sandwich cakes together with half of the frosting and all the passion fruit curd. Spread the rest of the frosting over the top.

Per serving: 344 cals, 15g fat (9g saturated), 49g carbohydrates