Ingredients
Cake:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups of sugar (reduce to 1 cup for baseline sweetness)
- 1.5 cups of oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp baking soda (reduce to 0.5 tsp; full amount results in soapy taste)
- 2 tsp baking powder (increase to 2.5 tsp if reducing baking soda)
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups grated carrot
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts/pecans
Icing:
- 120g butter (18°C, pliable)
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (or 1/2 tsp citric acid)
- 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
- 200g cream cheese (block, straight from fridge, cubed)
Directions
Beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale, light and fluffy (ribbon stage). Drizzle in oil slowly, while mixing, and fully emulsify. There should be no oil visible at the end.
Mix together dry ingredients, sift, and add to wet mixture. Fold in with a spatula. Fold in carrots and nuts.
Pour mixture into a greased, well-floured (or lined) baking tin and bake at 170-175°C for 50 minutes (20-21 min for cupcakes) or until a skewer comes out clean and top springs back readily when pressed. Allow to cool in pan.
Cream the butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy, mix in other ingredients (except cream cheese). Finally, on a lower speed, mix in cold cubes of cream cheese until just incorporated. Ice the cake once it is completely cooled.