Carrot Cake with Maple Butter Icing

(recipe from a cookbook)

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 450 gr/ 1 lb carrots, peeled
• 175 gr/6 oz/ 1 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
• 10 ml / 2 tsp baking powder
• 2,5 ml / 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
• 5 ml /1 tsp salt
• 10 ml / 2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 10 ml / 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 115 gr / 4 oz / 1/2 cup soft dark brown sugar
• 50 gr / 2 oz / 1/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 300 ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 cups sunflower
• 115 gr / 4 oz / 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 75 gr / 3 oz / 1/2 cup raisins 
• walnut halves, for decoration (optional)

For icing:

• 75 gr / 3 oz / 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 350 gr / 12 oz / 3 cups icing (confectioners) sugar
• 60 ml / 4 tbsp maple syrup

Step One

 Preheat the oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.

 Line a 28 x 20 cm / 11 x 8 in tin (pan) with baking parchment and grease.

Step Two

 Grate the carrots and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt and cinnamon into a bowl. Set aside.

Step Three

  With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until blended. Add the vanilla, sugars and oil. Add the dry ingredients, in three batches, folding in well.

Step Four

 Add the carrots, walnuts and raisins and fold in thoroughly.

Step Five

  Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly, 40-45 minutes. Leave the cake to stand in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmould it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step Six

 For the icing, cream the butter with half of the icing sugar until soft. Add the syrup, then beat in the remaining sugar until blended.

Step Seven

 Spread the icing over the top of the cake using the tip of a palette knife or metal spatula, make ridges in the icing. Cut into squares. Decorate with walnut halves, if wished.