Carrot cake

Ingredients

  120g pecans or walnuts
  360g carrots
  300g self-raising flour
 ½ tsp salt
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
     4 large eggs
  300g sugar
  180g butter
 2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
  60g butter, softened
 250g cream cheese
 250g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
      zest of one lemon

Method

1. Toast the pecans or walnuts until lightly browned. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

2. Peel and finely grate the carrots.

3. Mix the flour, salt and cinnamon together.

4. Melt the butter.

5. Beat the eggs until frothy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light coloured. Add the melted butter slowly and then the vanilla extract.

6. Add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts.

7. Pour the batter into two 23cm cake tins (greased and lined at the bottom with baking parchment).

8. Place in an oven preheated to 180C for 25 to 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

9. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5-10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before icing.

10. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until just blended with no lumps. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

11. When cake is cool spread one third of the icing between the layers and then cover the tops and side with the rest.