Friday 9 March 2012

Friday Feast - Carrot and raisin cake

Before anyone keels over at the thought of having to make the topping on this cake, I don't do it, but have included it in the recipe anyhow. I don't make it partly as neither of us is too keen plus the 'two-legged mouse' demolishes this loaf so quickly there's no time for fancy stuff! It's a quick and easy bake - and always a real hit.


Carrot and raisin cake

For the cake:
200g (7oz) self-raising flour
175g (6oz) soft light brown sugar
150g (5oz) raisins
2 level tsp ground mixed spice
Pinch of salt
150ml (¼ pint) sunflower oil
3 medium eggs
250g (8oz) carrots, peeled and grated

For the topping:
200g carton cream cheese
3 level tbsp icing sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Sugarpaste or marzipan carrots, for decoration, optional

1kg (2lb) loaf tin, buttered and lined with a strip of baking parchment. I use those pre-formed greaseproof paper 'loaf tin liners' - you can buy them in Lakeland and I also spotted them in The Range last week.

Set the oven to gas mark 4 or 180°C.

To make the cake: Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar, raisins, mixed spice and salt.

Beat the sunflower oil and eggs together and add to the dry ingredients and carrots, then stir until well mixed. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin.

Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hr, until it is just firm to the touch in the centre, and a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for about 10 mins.
Turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the topping: Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon zest. Spread the icing over the top of the cake and decorate with the sweet 'carrots', if liked.

How to freeze: The undecorated cake may be wrapped in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months (as IF, in this house!!). Allow the cake to defrost before decorating it with the cream cheese topping.

Things I do: I use large eggs and it works just fine by the way, I do use a whisker less than the quantity of sunflower oil though. It's a lovely moist cake and isn't at all oily - although I do wait until Len's out of the way when I'm measuring out the ingredients . I suspect his eyebrows would shoot up at the sunflower oil but what he doesn't see won't harm him :)

Enjoy!

Di
x

17 comments:

  1. Mmmm, that looks yummy Di, put the kettle on and hide it from the two legged mouse, I'll be there for elevenses! Definitely going to make this soon as carrot cake is one of my faves. Take care, Lyn x

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  2. Yeah . . . me too Lyn! Let's have a coffee (and cake) morning! LOL!

    This sounds delightful Di and looks delicious. Do you think you could swap the Sunflower oil for Olive oil??? Any ideas, O Cooking Guru??? xxx

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  3. Hello Di

    This sounds so yummy, must give it a go. Can I pop round also, pretty please. I LOVe carrot cake.
    luvirene
    xxxx

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  4. Sadly not Sarn :( The olive oil, even if it's the extra virgin oil, would be too heavily flavoured I'm sure. Sunflower oil is very light, both in flavour and texture, by comparison. Mind you, if Kate who lives in Spain hops in here she might want to add something as olive oil is used so much in Spain and I just bet she's been experimenting since they moved there. Kate, where are you?! Calling Kate!!

    I almost always use olive oil in other cooking and, for some reason, supermarkets now only seem to do 1 litre bottles or larger of sunflower oil which lasts me for ages.

    Off to have a Google but am pretty sure olive oil would be too heavy :(

    Di
    xx

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  5. Di again, suspicions about olive oil confirmed on my little search. Some folk suggest using rape seed oil for baking like this, apparently it's even lighter - plus of course we produce our own in the UK! That's them fields full of yellow flowers in the Summer :)) Di xx

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  6. Yummy!!! Will have to try this receipe, I have got light olive oil, wonder if that would do???
    Will let you know, might cook it tommorrow!!

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  7. Hi Di, This sounds yummy yet Di, again you have brought us a fab recipe, have a lovely day:)

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  8. That looks yummy Di must give it a try. Carol x

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  9. This sounds really yummy, Di, can you use anything other that sunflower oil. We have done our shopping for this week and only have margarine or olive oil in the house. xx Maggie

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  10. This looks scrumptious Di. When things settle down and I finally manage half a day to myself, I`ll give it a go lol.
    BTW did you recieve an e mail from my daughter Cheryl?
    Lynne xxx

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  11. I have already given you my views on this recipe but I think I would have prefered to eat this rather than the tea I made tonight, everything went wrong.

    Kath x

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  12. this sounds so yummy, wish I could lick the screen lol

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  13. Hi Di, will be giving this one a whirl but edging on the mean side with the oil - rape oil, methinks. Thanks for passing the recipe on. Elizabeth x

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  14. Oh this looks nice. Will have to have a go with this one. Paul loves fruit cake. Hugs Jenny x

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  15. Mmmm, that looks yummy Di and in this house the two legged mouse wouldn't stand a chance. This is one of my all time (get out of my way or I'll knock you to the floor) favorite deserts.
    Hugs
    Bernie

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  16. Sounds delicious! I will definitely be having a go x

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