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This is a carrot cake recipe but, since apple puree goes into the mix, it could also be called a carrot and apple cake. The recipe is good for 8 servings and will take 20 minutes to prepare and just less than an hour to bake. To remove air bubbles before baking, give the tin a gentle tap or two. Once cooked, the cake should have a dark red-brown colour and a spatula inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients for this carrot and apple cake: 174 grams of sifted plain cake flour, 3 eggs at room temperature (mixed together so that the egg yolks are broken), a level teaspoon each of baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda, a level teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and mixed spice, 200 grams of castor sugar, 150 ml of sunflower oil, 65 grams of apple puree, 225 grams of peeled and grated carrots, 50 grams each of raisins and roughly chopped almonds.

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and place the shelf in the centre of the oven. Grease and line a 28 cm long loaf tin.

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl including the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt. Prepare a well in the centre.

Place the eggs in a separate bowl and add the sugar. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes creamy and thick. Continue to whisk as you slowly pour the sunflower oil into the bowl. Add the apple puree and combine the ingredients before pouring the mixture into the dry ingredients’ well.

Using a flexible spatula, stir the mixture and start adding the walnuts, raisins and grated carrot. Once the ingredients are well incorporated, pour the mix into your prepared loaf tin. Bang the tin a few times on your work surface so as to settle the mixture.

Bake your carrot and apple cake for 55 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and turn it out onto a wire rack to cool. Ice with cream cheese icing.

Tags: baking, cake recipes, desserts