Classic carrot cake

The Australian Women's Weekly recipe for carrot cake is easy to make and not as sweet as some - don't worry it is still nice and sweet. The recipe calls for 2 tsp of mixed spice, but I like to add an extra tsp of cinnamon, which makes it really punchy. See what you think - this recipe is a repeater.

I'll find the pictures of my first effort - I used two sandwich tins and put some icing inside as well as out, because I am greedy. I use the citrus fudge icing.

I tried it with sunflower seeds, because I didn't have any walnuts and it was not good, by the way.

'icing just right this time mum'

Carrot cake

Preparation and cooking time – 1hour 35 minutes

1 cup / 250 ml vegetable oil

1 1/3 cups / 250 g firmly packed brown sugar

3 cups / 220 g firmly packed, coarsely grated carrot (about 6 medium carrots)

1 cup / 120 g coarsely chopped walnuts
3 eggs

2 ½ / 375 g self-raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp mixed spice

Preheat the oven to 160 C

I used two 23cm tins and bake for 40 mins

• Grease deep 23 cm round cake tin, lining base with baking parchment
• Put carrot and nuts in large bowl,  and sift flour, bicarb and spices together, keep to one side
• Beat oil, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Transfer mixture to large bowl with carrot and nuts, stirring, adding flour mixing well
• Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake cake for about 1 ¼ hours, covering loosely with foil or parchment halfway through cooking, to prevent it browning too much on top
• Stand cake for five minutes before turning it onto a rack to cool

If you can stand it, this cake is better if left for a day to mature.