Carrot cake

For the cake

175 g plain flour

175 g brown sugar

175 ml sunflower oil

140 g grated carrot

100 g raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder or bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 orange (optional)

For the topping

200 g cream cheese

150 g caster sugar

100 g softened butter

1 orange (optional)

Handful chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat the oven to 180C / fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of a cake tin with baking paper. I used a square tin about 22cm across - you’ll need to adjust temperature and heat if you’re using a differently sized tin.

Lightly beat the eggs and mix them with the brown sugar, sunflower oil and vanilla. You can use any type of brown sugar, and substitute vegetable oil if you don’t have sunflower.

Stir in the carrots, raisins and if you want an extra bit of zing add the grated zest of 1 large orange.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg, and mix it all together. You’ll have a fairly runny batter.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin, and bake for 30 minutes. If you’re using a smaller tin, you may want a lower temperature and a longer cooking time. It’s done when it feels firm and springy, and a skewer comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the topping. Make sure the butter is softened, rather than melted, and mix together with the cream cheese and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. I also mixed in the juice of half an orange. If it’s a bit loose, you can put it in the fridge to set a little.

Once your cake is cooked, leave it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before you add the topping. Don’t be tempted to do this too soon, or you’ll end up with a runny mess.

When ready, spread the topping generously over the cake, all the way to the edges. Finish with some orange zest and chopped walnuts.