Carrot and Rosemary Cake

I think carrot cake may be my all time favourite bake. I usually make it as little cupcakes with marzipan carrots in the top and add a piece of rosemary to the carrot. I love this addition of flavour with the sweet spiced cake so have used it to add my twist to the classic. It is subtle but adds an earthy depth of flavour. It is well worth a try. 

Recipe - Makes a 1lb loaf cake

For the cake:

• 75ml sunflower oil
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 1 egg
• Zest 1/2 orange
• 100g self-raising flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 115g carrot, grated
• 40g pecans, chopped roughly

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 100g full fat cream cheese
• 1 tsp icing sugar
• Zest 1/2 orange
• Pecans, chopped, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 170C. Lightly grease a 1lb loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside. Whisk the oil and sugar together to smooth and combined. Add the egg and whisk well, the mix in the orange zest. Sift in the flour, salt, baking powder and spices, and fold in, followed by the carrot and pecans. 

Tip the cake mix into the lined tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and lift the cake onto a wire rack to cool.

Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and orange zest together lightly to smooth. Spread on top of the cake roughly then sprinkle with the pecans. Chill to set.