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    John Whaite's Carrot cake with cranberry & lime

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    John Whaite's Carrot cake with cranberry & lime

    • Preparation time: 20 minutes
    • Cooking time: 30 minutes to 35 minutes

    Serves: 8 - 10

    Ingredients

    For the cake:
    200g carrots
    225g margarine, at room temperature
    225g golden caster sugar
    4 large eggs
    225g self-raising flour
    175g dried cranberries
    150g pecans, finely chopped
    Zest of 2 large oranges
    2 tsp mixed spice  

    For the frosting:
    225g icing sugar
    45g unsalted butter, at room temperature
    100g cream cheese
    Zest of 1½ limes  
    75g dried cranberries
    75g pecans, finely chopped 

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and base line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.

    2. Grate the carrot finely then put into a clean tea towel or kitchen paper and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Put the carrot into a mixing bowl along with the other ingredients for the cake and beat to a smooth batter – this is even easier in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment.

    3. Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins, evenly, and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

    4. For the frosting, sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and add the butter. Carefully beat together – this will take a while to come together, but patience and care will see it done. The mixture will still be fairly dry and stiff. Add the cream cheese and zest and beat until fluffy – a minute or so will do it.

    5. To assemble, take one layer of cake and place it onto a cake stand or plate. Pile on half of the cream cheese frosting and spread it evenly with the palette knife. Top with the second cake and repeat. To finish the cake, scatter over the cranberries and chopped pecans.

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