CARROT CAKE

PRE-HEAT THE OVEN TO 170C/325F/ GAS 3

180ml sunflower oil

125g Tate & Lyle light muscovado sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

225g peeled and trimmed carrots (finely grated) 100g walnut pieces

175g plain flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

180g soft cream cheese

50g icing sugar

1 Grease and line the base of a 2cm deep, round cake tin. 2 Set aside a tablespoon of the walnuts and chop the rest.

2 Place the oil, muscovado sugar and eggs into a large bowl and beat until thick and creamy.

3 Add the vanilla essence then stir in the chopped walnuts and carrots. Sift the dry ingredients together then fold into the cake mixture. Turn into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes. Test with a skewer which should come out clean.

4 Remove from the oven, cool in the tin 10 minutes then turn on to a wire rack to cool.

5 For the topping put the cream cheese and icing sugar into a bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the cake and scatter over the reserved walnuts, chopping them into small pieces if preferred.