Ingredients (serves 12)
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup caster sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
¾ cup plain flour
1 cup grapeseed oil
½ teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups grated carrot
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
200g cream cheese softened
80g butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 ½ cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
½ cup walnuts, roasted, chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and line base and sides of 2 x 20cm (8 inches) spring form pans. In a mixer, beat eggs and both sugars until thick and fluffy, gradually add both flours and oil at the same time. Add bicarb of soda, mixed spice and ground ginger and combine. Fold in grated carrot and walnuts.
- Pour cake batter evenly into cake pans (this is very important, so you get even cake layers). Bake for 30 –35 minutes or until cake is golden and a skewer comes out clean from the centre. Remove from the oven and cool in pans for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
- For cream cheese frosting, in a mixer combine cream cheese, vanilla and butter until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar and mix until light and creamy.
- To roast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place walnuts on a baking tray and roast for 4-5 minutes.
To Serve
Slice some of the top of each cake, so they have a flat surface. Spread the frosting on the base of the cake and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes to set the frosting. Then place the other half of the cake on top and gently press down, so they sit well, then spread the remaining frosting on top. Sprinkle over the walnuts and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
