Carrot and Orange Loaf

  ( Original recipe by Marry Berry "100 Sweets treats and puds")

Equipment needed: a 900 gr (2 lb) loaf tin

Ingredients:

•  1 orange
• 150 gr (5 oz) butter, soften
• 150 gr (5 oz) light muscovado sugar
• 175 gr (6 oz) carrots, grated
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 200 gr (7 oz) self-raising flour 
• 1 level tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 level tsp ground mixed spice
• about 1 tbsp milk

to finish:

• about 2 tbsp clear honey

Step One

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Fan 160ºC/gas 4. Lightly butter the tin, then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.

Step Two 

 Finely grate the zest from the orange, cut away the pith and slice the orange thinly. Set the slices aside  and place the zest in a large bowl and add the butter, sugar, carrots, eggs, flour, baking powder and spice. Mix well util thoroughly blended. Add the tablespoon of milk, if necessary, to give a dropping consistency. Spoon into the prepared tin.

Step Three

Bake  in the preheated oven for about 1h or until just firm to the touch. Remove the loaf from the oven and arrange the orange slices over the top. Brush with honey and return the loaf to the oven for a further 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.