Nana’s “World Famous in New Zealand” Carrot Cake!

The day I found out my Grandma was gravely ill, I booked a flight back home to New Zealand to be with her and then went straight into the kitchen to soothe my soul by baking her “World Famous in New Zealand” Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.

The recipes origin remains somewhat a mystery, but its destination was always a well planned route ~ my stomach!

The smell of this cake baking reminds me of how a visit to my Nana’s always started with a phone call from me to say ” I’m on way Nana. You got time to pop one of your delicious carrot cakes in the oven…?” She always did.

I love you Nana.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups grated carrot

For the icing

1/2 cup icing sugar

60gms cream cheese

30gms unsalted butter

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 C

Into a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract and beat well.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder and add to the wet ingredients , combining well.

Now mix in the cinnamon spice and grated carrot and pour the cake batter into a well greased cake tin.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean of any batter.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack.

Cover the cake with the lemon cheese icing once it has cooled completely.

To make the icing:

Soften the cream cheese and butter in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Place the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar into a food processor and blend unitl the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Smooth generously over the cake and serve in thick comforting slices.

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