Recipe: Crazy two-tier Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Cake

-500g self-raising flour

-3 teaspoons baking powder

-300g soft brown sugar

-100g sultanas

-50g chopped walnuts

-75g dessicated coconut

-400g carrots, grated

-300ml vegetable or sunflower oil

-4 medium eggs, lightly beaten

Icing

-200g icing sugar

-75g dessicated coconut

-70g unsalted butter, softened

-300g cream cheese

-Zest of a small orange

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the soft brown sugar. Add the sultanas, coconut, walnuts, and grated carrots. Beat the oil and eggs together and add to the bowl. Combine with either a wooden spoon or an electric mixer.

2. Spoon the mixture into two greased and lined 20cm cake tins and bake in an oven preheated to 160°C/Gas Mark 3 for 1–1 1/4 hours, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. To make the icing, combine all ingredients together to create a smooth paste. This is best done in a food mixer.

4. Place one cake flat side down on a cake stand. Spoon half of the icing mixture on top and spread evenly over the cake surface. Place the second cake on top and press down. Spread the remainder of the icing over the top and decorate as you wish (I used raisins!).

Serve with lots of tea.