Ingredients
For the carrot cake
175g/6oz light muscovado sugar
3 free-range eggs
150ml/5fl oz light olive oil
200g/7oz wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground mace
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g/9oz carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
75g/3oz walnuts, roughly chopped, plus extra to decorate
1 lemon, zest only
110g/4oz sultanas
25g/1oz dried cranberries
For the icing
250g/9oz mascarpone
250ml/9fl oz double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
For the candied carrots
300g/10½oz baby carrots, washed and trimmed but still with 2.5cm/1in green tops
cold water, to cover
pinch salt
75g/3oz caster sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling
50g/2oz butter
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C/370F/Gas 5.
2. For the cake, lightly grease a 26cm/10in round cake tin 6½cm/2½in deep and line the base with baking parchment.
3. Using an electric whisk, whisk the sugar, eggs and olive oil together in a large bowl for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
4. Sift the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl, tipping in the grains left in the sieve. Stir in gently.
5. Fold the grated carrots, walnuts, lemon zest, sultanas and dried cranberries into the mixture.
6. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
7. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 40-45 minutes. The cake should be well risen and feel firm and springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out quite clean. If not, cook for a little longer before testing again.
8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for five minutes in the tin. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. For the icing, place all of the icing ingredients into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Cover the bowl with cling film and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours, until you are ready to ice the cake.
10. For the candied carrots, place the carrots into a saucepan and just cover with cold water. Add the salt, sugar and butter, place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 5-6 minutes - the carrots will cook as the water evaporates and a glaze will form in the base of the pan.
11. Stir the cooked carrots in the glaze and then remove them from the pan to a plate. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and roll the carrots to coat all over. Leave to cool.
12. When the cake is completely cold, spread the icing over the top of the cake. Just before serving, scatter a few walnuts over the top of the cake and garnish with the candied carrots. Slice the cake and serve.
