This was my first time making a carrot cake, and I was really pleased with the results! I will definitely make it again. It has veggies, therefore it qualifies as one of your five a day, right?

175g light brown sugar, Whitworths
175ml sunflower seed oil
3 big, gently beaten eggs
140g carrots, grated (about 3 medium)
100g raisins zest from 1 big orange
175 grams self-rising flour
1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Glaze –

75g superfine icing sugar, Whitworths
two tbsp orange juice

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/Gas 4/Fan 160 degrees Celsius. Using baking paper, line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin.

Pour the sugar into a large mixing basin, then add the oil and eggs. Mix lightly with a wooden spoon. Combine the grated carrots, raisins, and orange rind in a mixing bowl.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and spices into the basin. Lightly combine all of the ingredients; after everything is uniformly combined, stop mixing. The mixture should be soft and almost runny.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center feels firm and springy when pressed. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning out, peeling off the paper, and cooling on a wire rack. (At this stage, the cake can be frozen.)

In a small mixing bowl, combine the frosting ingredients until smooth; the icing should be approximately the consistency of single cream. Place the cake on a serving platter and generously spread the frosting in diagonal lines across the top, allowing it to trickle down the edges.