Carrot Cake with Lime Marscapone Icing

Preparation 20 minutes, Cooking 60 minutes








280g butter, softened
1 and 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown soft sugar
5 large eggs, separated
juice and zest of 1 orange
1 and 1/4 cups SR flour, sifted
1 slightly heaped teaspoon baking powder
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful for serving
1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch ground cloves
a pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 carrots, peeled and coarsley grated

Lime mascapone icing
250g cream cheese
125g mascarpone
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
juice and zest of 2 limes
a handful of walnuts, chopped
a handful of chocolate coated brazil nuts, smashed or chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 23cm square cake pan (see grublover comment)
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg-yolks one by one.
Add the orange juice and zest.
Stir in the sifted flour and baking poweder, and add the almonds, walnuts, spices and carrot.
Whisk the egg-whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then fold them into the cake mix.
Scoop mixture into the cake pan and bake for about 60 minutes until golden and risen.
Leave the cake to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a rack and leave until cool.

Lime Icing
When the cake is completely cool, make the icing by mixing all the ingredients.
Spread over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with the walnuts and brazil nuts before serving.

Grublover comment
I don’t have a 23cm tin so I used a 20cm tin and had enough mixture leftover to make a small loaf cake as well - this is great if you need a cake for a party, and you can still leave some at home for a midnight snack!