Quick recipe: The Best Ever Carrot Cake

350g light soft brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 350ml/sunflower oil, 350g/plain flour, 7.5ml baking powder , 1tsp bicarbonate of soda, 2tsp ground cinnamon, 1tsp ground ginger, 350g carrots, peeled and grated, 75g finely chopped walnuts or raisins. For the icing: 350g icing sugar, 50g soft butter, 5ml vanilla essence, 150g cold cream cheese, walnut halves and a little ground cinnamon to dust.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Mar 2011, 13:33 BST

PREHEAT the oven to 170C/Gas Mark 3. Oil 3 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins and base line with baking parchment.

Place the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon. Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger then fold in. Fold in the carrots and walnuts or raisins. Divide the mixture between the cake tins. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35min. Leave to cool. Sift icing sugar into a bowl, add butter and vanilla essence. Use an electric whisk on low, to beat this until it is well mixed. Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together until just combined. When the cakes are cold, peel away the baking parchment. Divide the icing between the three cakes, spreading it evenly over the top of each. Stack the cakes one on top of the other. Top with the walnut halves and cinnamon. Store in a cool place.