Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake is truly delicious and packed full of spices, carrots and sultanas and topped with a zingy orange cream-cheese frosting.  The perfect cake for afternoon tea!  
Servings: 12 yield(s)
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 60 mins
Ingredients
  • 150 ml vegetable oil
  • 100 g light brown soft sugar
  • 2 free range eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 75 g golden syrup
  • 175 g self raising flour (sifted)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 200 g carrots (peeled & grated)
  • 75 g sultanas
  • 30 g ground almonds
    • For the frosting
  • 100 g icing sugar (sifted)
  • 100 g butter (softened)
  • 1 tsp fresh orange juice
  • 200 g full-fat cream cheese
  • 1/2 orange (zest only plus extra for decoration)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas mark 4 and grease and line a 20 cm square cake tin.
  2. In a large bowl or electric mixer, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and golden syrup until fully combined. Now mix in the remaining cake ingredients and pour into the prepared tin.
  3. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until nicely risen and firm but springy when lightly pressed. Insert a skewer if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile prepare the frosting, place the sifted icing sugar into a large bowl and add the butter and orange juice. Beat together with a large wooden spoon until light and creamy. Now add the cream cheese and orange zest and mix until smooth. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm enough to spread.
  5. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and sprinkle with orange zest, cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!