Here is a recipe for a great carrot cake, a real favourite amongst many of us young and old. Make sure you take your time with the preparation of this recipe to ensure that it comes out perfect!

Ingredients

375g caster sugar
250g butter (unsalted)
4 medium sized eggs
450g grated carrots
1 orange (juice of)
150g chopped almonds
2 grated orange rind
250g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spices
1 tbsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
Icing

225g soft cheese
65g unsalted butter
(make sure both butter and cheese are at room temperature)
40g sifted icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Heat up an oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Grease a 23cm/9in cake tin.
3. Beat the butter, orange rind and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs (not too fast), beat them well one by one before adding the rest.
5. Add the grated carrot and chopped almonds.
6. Add the vanilla essence and orange juice.
7. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spice and salt together, then mix this into the cake mixture.
8. Move the mixture into the prepared spring-form tin and bake in the oven for about 45 mins to 1 hour. To check if the cake is ready, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, if this comes up quite clean, then the cake should be done.
9. For the preparation of the icing, cream the cheese and the butter together until they are nice and smooth.
10. Add the icing sugar and vanilla essence, and mix until smooth. This frosting should be quite rich
11. Spread the icing generously over the top of the cake and you are done!

Serves: 12
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 60 mins