Lisa B's Carrot Cake

Hot model Lisa's got a secret sweet tooth

Tuesday, 6 June 2006

Ingredients

115g/4oz pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
275g/10oz plain flour
1tsp baking soda
1½tsp baking powder
½tsp salt
1½tsp ground cinnamon
4 large free-range eggs
300g/11oz granulated white sugar
250ml/9fl oz safflower oil
2tsp pure vanilla extract
350g/12oz raw carrots, finely grated
2 apples, finely grated

For the cream cheese frosting
55g/2¼oz unsalted butter, room temperature
225g/8oz cream cheese, room temperature
115g/4oz icing sugar
1tsp pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

To garnish
Toasted unsweetened flaked coconut or toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Marzipan carrots

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and place a rack in centre of oven. Butter and line two 23x5cm/9x2in cake tins with greaseproof paper.
2 Toast the nuts for about 8 mins or until lightly browned. Chop roughly when cool.
3 Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon.
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 min). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light coloured (about 3-4 mins). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and mix in. Then fold in the grated carrots, apples and chopped nuts.
4 Divide the batter between the two tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. After about 5-10 mins, turn out of the tins on to a wire tray, remove the greaseproof paper and leave to cool.
5 For the frosting, using an electric mixture in a bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together on low speed until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
6 To assemble, sandwich together using the frosting and also put frosting on top of the cake. Garnish with toasted nuts or toasted coconut.

Recipe courtesy of The Brooke, the UK's largest overseas equine welfare charity, which works to relieve the suffering of half a million horses, donkeys and mules in some of the world's poorest communities. For more information about The Brooke's annual Courses for Horses campaign, visit www.thebrooke.org.

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