Carrot & tamarind cake

Preheat the oven to 170ºC, gas mark 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, tamarind and sugar. Add the carrots, raisins and spices, then stir together with a spoon. Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Mix to fully incorporate, then stir in the walnuts.

Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment and pour in the mixture. Bake for 50 minutes-1 hour 10 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean (cover with foil after 30 minutes if it’s browning too fast). Remove from the oven and leave on a rack to cool.

For the buttercream, use an electric hand mixer to whisk the butter until creamy. Gradually add the mascarpone while whisking to fully incorporate. Add the orange zest and sift in the sugar, then beat again to combine. Once the cake is fully cooled, top with the buttercream, scatter with extra orange zest, if liked, and serve.