Gluten-free Carrot Cake

‘Served with steaming coffee and fresh berries, this sumptuous cake makes for a brunch treat. Check your baking powder to make sure its gluten-free, if needed.’

Hands-on time 25min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 45min. Serves 12

• 125ml rapeseed oil, plus extra to grease

• 440g ground almonds

• 75g flaked almonds

• 70g sultanas

• 70g coconut flakes

• 375g carrots, peeled and grated

• 1tsp baking powder

• ½tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1tsp ground ginger

• 1tsp ground cinnamon

• 5 large eggs

• 250g light brown soft sugar

• 1tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 150g cream cheese

• 1tbsp caster sugar

• 1tsp vanilla extract

TO SERVE, OPTIONAL

• 4tbsp Our Granola, see page 135

• Fresh berries

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease a non-stick 25cm round springform cake tin and line base with baking parchment. 2 Put the ground almonds, flaked almonds, sultanas, coconut flakes, carrots, baking powder and spices into a large mixing bowl. Stir and set aside.

3 Beat the eggs and sugar in a freestanding mixer on high speed for 8min, or until doubled in volume and thickened. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to medium and slowly pour in oil, being careful not to add it too quickly. Mix for 3min.

4 Fold egg mixture into the dry ingredients, using a spatula, until incorporated. Scrape mixture into lined tin and bake for 40-45min, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin.

5 For the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.

6 To serve, transfer cake to a serving plate or board. Spread frosting over top. Sprinkle over granola, if using, and serve with fresh berries, if you like.

PER SERVING (without granola or berries) 561cals, 15g protein, 41g fat (8g saturates), 31g carbs (29g total sugars), 5g fibre