Carrot Cake with a buttercream icing

Very simple and easy carrot cake. The Icing makes a nice change from the usual dry off the shelf type.

2 eggs

150 ml (5fl oz) sunflower or vegetable oil

200 g (7oz) brown sugar

300 g (11oz) peeled and grated carrots (weight when grated)

75 g (3oz) walnuts, chopped (optional)

175 g (6oz) flour

2.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
A squeeze of orange juice and some orange rind.
1 tsp Whiskey (optional)

1 tsp mixed spice

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2), and line the base and sides of the loaf tin (900g/2lb) with baking parchment, with the paper coming above the sides of the tin to enable the cake to be lifted out easily.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl to break them up, then whisk in the oil, sugar, grated carrots and chopped nuts.

Sift in the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture together using a wooden or large metal spoon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing the surface with a palette knife, and bake in the oven for between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then carefully lift the cake out of the tin with the lining paper. Peel away the baking parchment and place on a wire rack to cool down fully before you ice it.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Beat all the ingredients together, then use a palette knife to spread evenly over the cake.

For the Buttercream Icing.

Really nice, a bit richer and creamier than the usual, and does not require icing sugar.

120g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 tablespoons plain flour

125ml milk

1 teaspoon whisky or vanilla extract.

In small saucepan cook flour and milk until it forms a ball, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat both mixtures together on high speed until fluffy and smooth. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour, until it is of spreading consistency.

Whack it onto the top of the cake and hey presto. 
A nice addition is to spread a layer of carrot marmalade, lemon curd or blackberry curd between the icing and the cake.
Lemon curd in particular gives a nice foil to the sweetness.