Delicious carrot cake, perfect for afternoon tea or dessert! This recipe can also be made into cupcakes for lunchboxes. It’s also a great opportunity to get the kids into the kitchen (even if it does get a little messy!)

?Serves: 12
Prep:  15-20 mins  Cook: 60 mins

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
• ⅓ cup plain wholemeal or white flour
• 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups grated carrot
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Icing

• 125g cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil spread

Directions

1. Grease a square 8 inch tin and pre-heat oven to 150°C
2. Beat eggs and sugar until frothy
3. Add oil and milk then stir in sifted dry ingredients
4. Fold in carrot, nuts and vanilla essence
5. Bake for 1 hour
6. Allow cake to completely cool before icing
7. For the icing, combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl until smooth
8. Use a spatula to spread on top of the cake
9. Decorate with extra nuts, grated carrots and some lemon zest

Notes

Try any nuts or substitute nuts for seeds or coconut if you want it nut free.

Try adding other vegetables, such as zucchini.

To give icing more zing, add juice and zest of half a lemon and some honey.