Carrot Cake

SERVES 8–10

butter, for greasing

190g / 1½ cups minus 1 tbsp self-raising (self-rising) flour

160g / ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp coconut sugar, sifted

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground mixed spice

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

190ml / ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 medium eggs

160g / 5¾oz carrots, coarsely grated

40g / 4 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

TOPPING

100g / scant ½ cup cream cheese

100g / 6 tbsp strained Greek yoghurt

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp maple syrup

2–3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm / 8in loose-bottomed round cake tin (pan) and line with parchment paper.

Add all the cake ingredients, apart from the carrots and hazelnuts, to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine, then fold through the carrots and hazelnuts.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 minutes until cooked through (a knife or skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean).

Place the cake in its tin on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out and let cool completely.

For the topping, whip the cream cheese, yoghurt and lemon zest together until smooth, then pile on top of the fully cooled cake. Drizzle the maple syrup over the cream cheese icing, then sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts.