THE CARROT CAKE

By Ellen Jay

1 x 23-cm cake

INGREDIENTS

500ml granulated sugar

4 large eggs

3ml vanilla essence

375ml vegetable oil

500ml cake flour

5ml baking powder

10ml bicarbonate of soda

10ml ground cinnamon

5ml salt

750ml grated carrots

200ml desiccated coconut

250ml chopped walnut (or ½ walnuts and 1/21 pecan nuts)

250ml drained crushed pineapple (but not over-drained)

Topping

125g butter, slightly softened

500g icing sugar, sifted

250g cream cheese

5ml vanilla extract

chopped walnuts for sprinkling

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line 2 x 23-cm cake tins with baking paper.
2. Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract together, gradually mixing in the oil. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt, then mix into the egg mixture.
3. Combine the carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple, then add to the batter. Pour into the prepared cake tins and bake for approximately 1 hour.
4. For the topping, cream the butter in a bowl of a food mixer and gradually add about half the icing sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the cream cheese, then beat on slow speed.
5. Finally add the rest of the icing sugar and the vanilla extract. Stop beating as soon as it is all mixed in, otherwise the topping will become too runny.
6. Turn the cakes out onto cooling racks and peel off the baking paper.
7. Spread one cake with half of the icing mixture. Place the other cake on top and spread the rest of the topping over the top of it. Sprinkle generously with chopped walnuts.

Legally adopted from la Petite Tarte

To listen to an interview with Johan de Villiers on FMR Fine Food, click the link.