New Zealand Moist Carrot Cake

This recipe was very much sought after following a Lynsted with Kingsdown Society Tea Tasting event on 21 March 2009.  Thanks go to Jenny Hudson for bringing the recipe to our attention!  Also the Lemon Drizzle Cake went down well.

Ingredients:

9oz (250) wholemeal flour	Approx 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6oz (175g) brown sugar (light or dark)	2 level teaspoons cinnamon
6 fl oz (175ml) sunflower oil	1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 large eggs	11oz grated carrot
2 fl oz (55ml) soured cream	3oz (75g) desiccated coconut
2 teaspoon vanilla essence
For the topping:
4oz (110g) full fat cream cheese	2oz (50g) sifted icing sugar
2 oz unsalted butter	Juice of a small orange

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C/300° F/Gas Mark 2
2. Grease and line an 8inch square cake tin.
3. Mix together the eggs, oil, vanilla essence and soured cream. Sieve in the sugar to avoid lumps.  Beat until thoroughly smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, spices and soda.
5. Combine the contents of both bowls carefully folding the dry ingredients into the wet.  A metal spoon is good for this.
6. Then fold in the carrots and coconut.
7. Spoon into the tin and level the surface. 
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1½ - 2 hours.
9. Leave in the tin to cool.  Mix together the topping ingredients adding the orange juice carefully as the icing needs to be quite stiff.
10. Spread thickly over the cake and leave to set.