Mary Berry's Carrot Cake

This is possibly the nicest carrot cake on earth, slightly adapted from Mary Berry's recipe.   With bananas and walnuts as well as carrots under a smooth cream cheese icing, it's so nice, it's almost sinful!   This is a traybake, so a stalwart for choir teas, TA Camp and walking weekends, or just anywhere where you need to feed a crowd.   I've made the gluten free version with rice flour, and a standard flour blend will also work well.   There's no dairy in the actual cake, so leave some without icing for a dairy-free treat.   Double quantity fits into a large roasting tin.    Sadly, this picture doesn't do it justice, but that was all that was left!

 Amazing Carrot Cake

8oz/225g self raising flour (you can substitute gluten-free flour)

2 tsp baking powder

100g/4oz grated carrots

5oz/150g dark muscovado sugar

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

5floz/150ml sunflower oil

2oz/50g chopped walnuts

Icing:

8oz/225g tub Philadelphia cream cheese

3oz/75g softened butter

6oz/175g sieved icing sugar (no cheating, it shows!)

few drops of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.   Line a tin with foil (about 8 x 14” or thereabouts – depending on if you want chunky or thin pieces) and grease it.   Put all the ingredients (except the walnuts) into a bowl or a mixer (Kitchen Aid/Kenwood) and beat until smooth.  Fold the nuts into the mixture, then put it into the tin.   Cook for about 35-40 minutes until the cake has risen, and is golden brown and coming away from the edges of the foil slightly.  You could also try sticking a (warmed) knife into the centre.  If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.  If you double the recipe, allow more time for it to cook. 

Cool in its tin before turning it out onto a rack and removing the foil.  Turn the cake over and put onto a serving board. 

Beat the icing ingredients together until smooth (the butter has to be very soft, or you will get little pieces), and spread generously over the cake.   I’ve found it is best to put this in the fridge for a few hours before serving it.   Cut into squares – it will make approximately 24.