Carrot and Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The cheats' cake is what I call it - Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. It is the most easiest and foolproof cake ever; yet, the cake is very moist, dense and delicious. It is perfect as a celebration cake or a slice cake to share with your friends over coffee. Packed with carrots and walnuts, it is also a nutritious cake that your family will fall in love with.

There are a few variations you can follow for the recipe. Please see notes.

 
Makes: 1 x 8 inch round cake cake or 1 x20 cm square cake
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes
Recipe Source: Super Food Ideas Magazine, Oct 2009
Ingredients
For the cake

• 2 cups sifted self-raising flour, measured after sifting
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• Extra walnuts, chopped, to decorate

For the frosting

• 125g cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
• 2 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
• 2/3 cup icing sugar mixture

Method
For the cake
1. Pre-heat fan-forced oven to 160°C. Grease and line cake pan with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl. Beat sugar, oil and eggs until creamy using a electric mixer. Add sifted flour mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. Fold in grated carrots and chopped walnuts. Spread into prepared pan and bake in oven for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
3. Beat cream cheese and lemon rind using an electric mixer, until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Decorate with walnuts.

This cake should be kept in a tightly closed container in a refrigerator.

Notes
1. Use 1/4 cup of oil + 3/4 cup of milk instead of 1 cup of oil for a healthier version of the cake.
2. Substitute walnuts with pecans for a different taste.