Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

225g gluten free self-raising flour

1/2 tsp Xanthan gum

2 large free-range eggs

125g soft brown sugar

125ml sunflower oil

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 eating apple

200g carrots

1 orange zest and juice

1 handful of sultanas

for icing:

75g unsalted butter, softened

100g icing sugar

1 orange, zest only

75g cream cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.  Grease a springform cake tin (roughly 20 cm) with butter, line the base with greaseproof paper, then dust the sides with extra gluten free flour.

2. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, add the sugar and oil, then mix to combine.  Sieve in the flour, Xantham gum and spices and fold through. Peel and grate the apple (core and all) and carrots, then stir into the mixture along with the orange zest and juice and sultanas.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, then place on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 mins, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin for around 5 mins, before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the icing.  Beat the butter, icing sugar and most of the orange zest until pale and smooth, then stir in the cream cheese until just combined.  Once cooled, decorate the cake with the icing.