Spiced carrot cake squares

Spiced carrot cake squares
Average rating: 4 out of 5 star rating

Carrot cakes became really popular during wartime because of rationing - and because they taste so great, their popularity shows no sign of waning

  • Makes: 15

  • Prep time: 10 mins

  • Cooking time: 40 mins

  • Total time: 50 mins

Ingredients

For extra spice, try adding a cinnamon stick to the mix.

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  • 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp ground mixed spice
  • 150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar
  • 100g (4oz) carrots, grated
  • 75g (3oz) walnuts, chopped
  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 150ml (¼ pt) corn or sunflower oil
  • 300g tub Philadelphia soft cheese
  • 30ml (2tbsp) caster sugar
  • Finely grated rind of 1 orange
  • 15ml (1tbsp) fresh orange juice
  • Shredded orange rind, to decorate

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18x27cm (7x10½ in) tin and line with non-stick baking parchment.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, carrots, walnuts and banana. Add the eggs and oil, and beat until blended.
  3. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40 mins until firm—a skewer inserted into the cake should come out clean. Turn out on to a cooling rack and remove the lining paper. Leave to cool completely.
  4. To make the icing place the cheese, sugar, orange rind and juice in a bowl and beat together until smooth. Spread over the cake and swirl with the back of a spoon. Decorate with orange rind and cut into squares.
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Nutritional information

Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/139722/Spiced-carrot-cake-squares