RECIPE: Spiced carrot cake with cream cheese icing
TV chef Justine Drake uses coconut, pineapple and spices to liven up a teatime favourite. This easy recipe can also be used to make muffins
Makes: 1 large cake or 12 muffins
Cake:
240g (2 cups) cake flour
10ml (2 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
5ml (1 tsp) baking powder
5ml (1 tsp) salt
15ml (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon
5ml (1 tsp) allspice
5ml (1 tsp) ground ginger
150g (375 ml) brown sugar
250ml (1 cup ) vegetable oil
3 eggs
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
500ml (2 cups) grated carrot, about three large carrots
250ml (1 cup) desiccated coconut
100g pecan nuts or walnuts, chopped
1 x 440g can crushed pineapple, drained
Icing:
230g cream cheese
60g butter, softened
300g (2 cups) icing sugar
Zest of one lemon, orange or grapefruit
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease a deep Bundt pan, 2 x 21cm sandwich pans or 12 muffin cups.
3. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
4. Make a well in the centre and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
5. Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple.
6. Pour into your chosen pan and bake for 50-60 minutes for the large cake, 40 minutes for the sandwich pans and 20 -25 minutes for the muffins. Note that the centre may sink a little.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before icing.
8. To make the icing, cream the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the icing sugar and zest and beat until just creamy, but don't overbeat as it may become runny.
Tip: The best way to keep spices really fresh with optimum flavour is in the freezer.
• For more delicious recipes, catch Justine Drake on 'Just Cooking' on SABC 3 (DStv channel 193) on Tuesdays at 8.30pm.