Quick and Warm Carrot Cake

A miserable evening at 6pm called for something warm and filling, post- Christmas indulgence in mind I opted for carrot cake, lying to myself that this counted as a veg portion.

My carrot cake recipe created from various internet versions and edited over time:

150g SR Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
125 g Softened butter
125g Brown sugar (though I've made it with white just as well)
120g grated carrot (on the smallest grater setting not the chunky one you'd use for cheese, washed but skin can be left on or off)
2 large eggs
2 large handfuls of dried fruit
(I've tried loads but sultanas and raisins work well, I guess you could easily use larger dried fruits as long as you cut them up. I once also tried adding a handful of chocolate drops but didn't think this added much to the texture or flavor)

Really easy composition. Cream the butter and sugar (3-5mins) add eggs, one at a time, beat for 1min between each one. Chuck everything else in and fold in with a wooden spoon. Transfer to pre-lined cake tin for 25-30mins into a oven preheated to 180. (NB my student oven is a bit dodgy and often below temperature so this may need to be edited).

Mine came out of the oven with 6 eager faces waiting for it. They wanted it hot and wanted it then, so I whipped up some orange extract frosting and sprinkled with a bit of edible glitter.

I think the cake was gone before the icing had time to melt (otherwise it would have turned into a sloppy mess) If I was leaving the cake to cool again I'd do this icing (I think the orange and the carrot go really well?) but doing it hot again I think a slice with a dollop of cream and a cup of tea would be perfect.