Prep: 20min, Cook 1½hrs
Ingredients
Cake
3-4 carrots
¾ cup pecan nuts (optional)
2 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup ground almonds
1 cup gluten free self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
Icing
250g cream cheese
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Juice of ¼ orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of ground nutmeg
To serve
¼ cup coconut chips/flakes
Method
- Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line a cake tin (measuring 20cm in diameter) with baking paper. Grate carrots until you have 3 cups worth and chop pecan nuts (if using).
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs then add oil, sugar, orange zest, grated carrot and chopped pecans.
- Sift in remaining cake ingredients and gently fold mixture with a wooden or large metal spoon until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour mixture into prepared tin and smooth out to ensure an even surface. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer or knife inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing then allow to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
- In a large bowl, use electric beaters to beat cream cheese, butter, orange juice and vanilla together until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift in icing sugar and spices and continue to beat until the icing is smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated. Set aside in fridge.
- Toast coconut chips in a small fry-pan, on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing often until golden. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.
- Once cake is completely cooled, use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to spread icing evenly over cooled cake, dipping the knife into a bowl of hot water, if necessary.
- To serve, top with toasted coconut and slice.
Helpful tip: cake freezes well (without icing)
