Carrot and walnut cake

This cake has a fabulous texture from the chopped walnuts, desiccated coconut and roughly grated carrot as well as gently spiced flavour - enjoy with cream cheese icing

Carrot and walnut cake

SERVES

12

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

20

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

40

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 160g plain flour

  • Ā½Ā tsp baking powder

  • Ā½Ā tsp baking soda

  • 1Ā tsp cinnamon

  • Ā¼Ā tsp clove

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 egg

  • 200ml sunflower oil

  • 275g caster sugar

  • 50g walnuts,Ā chopped

  • 50g desiccated coconut

  • 135g roughly grated carrot

  • 2 egg whites

  • pinch of salt

  • For the icing:

  • 175g cream cheese

  • 75g unsalted butter

  • 35g icing sugar

  • 25g honey

  • 25g walnuts,Ā chopped and lightly toasted

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180Ā°C. Grease two 20cm (8 inch) loose-base cake tins and cover the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper.

  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Lightly whisk together the one yolk with the one whole egg. Set the whites aside.

  3. In a mixer bowl with the beater attachment beat together the oil and sugar for about a minute. On a low speed slowly add the yolk and egg mix. Add the nuts and carrot and then the sifted dry ingredients. Donā€™t over-mix. Remove from the mixer bowl into another large bowl.

  4. Make sure the mixer bowl is totally clean before pouring in the eggs whites with a pinch of salt and whisking on high speed until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the carrot mix in three additions. Do not over-mix. Streaks of whites in the mix are fine.

  5. Pour the cake mix into the prepared tins and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out totally dry when inserted in the middle of the cake. If the cake starts going dark while the centre is not cooked cover with foil. Once ready, let the cake cool down totally and remove from the tin.

  6. To make the icing, bring the cheese to room temperature and beat in a mixer until light and smooth. Remove from mixer. Beat the butter, icing sugar and honey in the mixer until light and airy. Fold together the cheese and butter mixes. Spread waves of icing on top of the cake and sprinkle with nuts.
    This recipe is from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

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