Easy Carrot and Walnut Cake

 So, just another day in my kitchen.... and I have baking rather than blogging, so hopefully I can share some goodness with you all.
I sometimes become quite put off with oil based recipes, as they can turn out a little oily (as it were!) but this is just a lovely balanced recipe and although moist and tasty, not in an oily kind of way!! You get me!

I used an 9inch loaf pan for this, but you could equally make this in an 8inch tin (which could be cut, sandwiched and layered with frosting.  

Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 300g light brown sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 300ml Canola oil
• 300g carrots, grated
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Mixed Spice
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 100g chopped walnuts or pecan if preferred

Cream cheese frosting

• 225g cream cheese
• 50g softened trex
• 50g icing sugar
• a few drops lemon extract

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.

2) Put the eggs, oil and sugar in a bowl and whisk until combined. Add and mix all the ingredients, except for the carrots and walnuts until they are thoroughly incorporated.

3) Add the carrots and walnuts and mix.  

4) Pour the mixture into the desired greased and lined cake tin/loaf pan and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  The cake should be slightly brown on top.  Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

5) Combine all the ingredients for the frosting until soft, light and fluffy.  

6) Ensure the cake is completely cooled before adding the topping with a palette knife.