MAKING CARROT CAKE WITH BURLINGTON

Burlington has tried many carrot cakes, some delicious and some rather dry. He is pleased to say that his cook makes the most perfect carrot cake and here is his favourite recipe.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 450 grams/16 ounces carrots
• 130 grams/4½ ounces raisins
• 4 large eggs
• 260 grams/9 ounces golden caster sugar
• 240 mls /1 cup corn oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 4 teaspoons fresh orange zest
• 40 grams/1½ ounces plain flour
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the icing

• 175 grams/6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 400 grams/15¾ ounces icing sugar
• 125 grams/4½ ounces butter
• zest of an orange

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320F and grease 2 by 20cm/8inches sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
2. Combine the grated carrots and raisins in a large bowl and put to one side.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer for several minutes. Then add the oil, vanilla essence and orange zest and beat together.
4. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cinnamon into a separate bowl and slowly add these ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition.
5. Add the carrots and raisins and mix very well.
6. Fill each cake tin to about two thirds full. If there is any remaining mixture it can be used for cupcakes.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins.
8. Make the cream cheese icing by beating together the cream cheese, icing sugar, butter, and orange zest until smooth and creamy.
9. When the cake is completely cool sandwich the two cakes together with some of the cream cheese icing and spread the top of the cake with the rest of the icing.
10. Any unused cake must be placed in an airtight box and refrigerated.