Ingredients:

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
80g Protein
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups (295 ml) canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups (300 grams) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)
1 cup (100 grams) coarsely chopped pecans

Icing:

250g cream cheese (full fat / high quality is best)
115g unsalted butter
3 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans to decorate

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease two 23cm round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper then grease the top of the paper. Or, grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon until well blended.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
  4. Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
  5. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
  6. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off parchment paper and cool completely. (Tip: to make cake extra moist and delicious, put the cakes straight into the freezer from the oven, for 10-15 minutes)

Method – Icing:

  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese & butter (warmed to room temp) with a mixer or handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla essence & salt until creamy & fluffy. Chill covered until ready to frost cake.
  3. When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer, place the other cake layer on top. Decoratively swirl the top of the cake with remaining frosting, leaving the sides unfrosted. Scatter nuts on top.