Carrot cake

Serves 8-12 slices

A little oil for greasing

250g (9oz) carrots

150g (5oz) margarine

200g (7oz) light soft brown sugar

2 large eggs

200g (7oz) self-raising flour

half a teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons of baking powder

125g (4 1/4 oz) raisins

75g (2 3/4 oz) chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons of milk

For the topping :

200g (7 oz) cream cheese

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

50g (2 oz) icing sugar

half a teaspoon of vanilla essence

a 20cm (8in) round cake tin

Heat your oven to 180°C, 35O°F, Gas mark 4.

1. Put your cake tin onto a piece of baking parchment of greaseproof paper and draw around it. Cut out the circle.

2. Brush the sides and the base of tin with a little oil to grease it. Put the paper circle inside and brush this with oil, too.

3. Turn your oven on. Wash the carrots and cut off their tops. Grate them on the side of the grater with the biggest holes.

4. Put the margarine into a saucepan and heat it slowly until it has just melted. Pour it into a large bowl.

5. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat them. Stir the carrots and sugar into the margarine. Then, add the beaten eggs.

6. Put a sieve over the bowl. Shake the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder through the sieve, onto the mixture.

7. Use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture, until it is smooth. Mix in the raisins and walnuts, then stir in the milk.

8. Spoon the mixture into the tin. Smooth the top with a spoon. Tap the tin on your work surface to make the mixture level.

9. Bake the cake for an hour. Test it by sticking a skewer into it. When it comes out it should have no mixture sticking to it.

10. Put the cake tin on a wire rack and leave it for ten minutes. Then, run a knife around the side of the cake.

11. Hold the rack on top of the tin and turn them both over. Shake the tin gently to get the cake out. Peel off the paper.

12. While the cake is cooling, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the cheese, lemon juice and vanilla.

13. Beat the mixture well. When the cake has cooled completely, cut it in half. Spread one piece with half of the topping.

14. Put the other half of the cake on top. Spread the top of it with topping.  Make swirly patterns on it with a fork.

Enjoy it ! It's the best cake ever !