EASY BAKES

Tasty tea-time treats to whip up this weekend

- IESS MEYER

Classic carrot cake

SERVES 12

Use your food processor to make this all-in-one bake even easier!

YOU WILL NEED

75g walnut pieces, plus extra for decoration

100g raisins

2tsp ground mixed spice

80g ground almonds

175g dark soft brown sugar

200ml cooking oil

4 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten

Zest and juice 1 orange

250g carrots, peeled and grated

275g wholemeal flour

2tsp baking powder

For the icing:

280g pot full-fat soft cheese

125g icing sugar, sifted

Zest 1 orange

You will need:

20cm springform tin, greased and lined

HOW TO DO IT

1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan. Put the walnuts, raisins, mixed spice, almonds and sugar in a food processor, and whizz to break the walnuts into small chunks. Add the oil, eggs, and orange zest and juice, then pulse a couple of times.

2 Add the carrots, flour and baking powder, and pulse to just combine. Pour the batter into the tin. Bake for 50 mins-1 hr until the sponge is springy and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.