Recipe: Carrot Cake

CARROT CAKE
Serves 8

• 1 cup peanut oil
• 2 cups raw sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups wholemeal flour
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups grated carrot
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp baking soda

Icing
• 1 cup icing sugar,
• 1 tsp vanilla,
• ¼ cup melted butter 
• 200g cream cheese

1. Set oven to 160C. Grease and line a 25cm cake tin.
2. Mix oil, raw sugar and eggs in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt, carrot, raisins and walnuts. Add the oil mix and combine all well.
4. At the last minute add baking soda. Bake in oven for 55 minutes.
5. To make the icing, beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla and melted butter.
6. Spread on the cake when it is cool.

Caramelised hazelnuts 
• 1½ cups water,
• ½ cup caster sugar,
• ½ cup hazelnuts

Bring water and sugar to the boil and continue cooking until a caramel colour. Place nuts on a sheet of baking paper. Pour over the hot caramel. When cold break into pieces.