Spiced carrot and orange cake

Special equipment • electric mixer • 8in (20cm) square cake pan

MAKES 16 SQUARES

Ingredients:

1½ cups self-rising flour

2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar (packed)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp baking soda

2/3 cup sunflower oil or light olive oil

2 large eggs

1/3 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup or light corn syrup

2 carrots (125g), coarsely grated

finely grated zest of 1 orange

For the icing:

1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, or more, to taste

3½oz (100g) cream cheese, at room temperature

1–2 tbsp orange juice

finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8in (20cm) square cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda. In another bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, and syrup, then combine with the dry ingredients. Stir in the carrot and orange zest. Scrape into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack to cool completely.

2 For the icing, sift the confectioners’sugar into a bowl, add the cream cheese, orange juice, and orange zest and beat with an electric mixer until thick and spreadable. When the cake is cool, spread the icing over the top. Garnish with extra orange zest, and cut into squares.

Spiced carrot and orange cake