It had been promised for a long time. When grandson Freddie (8¾) and I have been to Wisley Gardens a few times over the last year, we’ve indulged in carrot cake in their cafe. It’s a generous slice and we tend to share it; it’s rich, moist and dark, with a traditional cream cheese based icing. We like it so much that each time I say, I will make a carrot cake soon. The intention has been genuine but for various reasons, the actual fulfilment of the promise has taken time.

I don’t remember when – if ever – I’ve made carrot cake before. Which is a bit weird as it is one of my favourite cakes and one I’ll often choose if I have cake and tea out anytime. So there was no tried-and-tested recipe waiting at home. I began to look through my cookbooks and on the internet. I found one in a favourite old book of mine, Barbara Maher’s Cakes, which was published in paperback by Penguin in 1982 and has probably been sitting on my shelves since then. It’s well worn and well used.

It’s the source of the family’s ‘famous’ birthday cake and other great recipes, so when I found ‘American Carrot Loaf’ in it, it was a done deal that this was the recipe I’d use.

I tried it a few weeks ago. It was good, though not quite like Wisley’s. It was much lighter, more sponge-like and didn’t contain sultanas which I was used to in carrot cake, though had a delicious icing – just what I like on a carrot cake. I may not have been quite as delighted with it as I’d hoped I’d be but it was a big hit with Freddie. Thus he’s been asking me when I’m going to make it again. Well, how could I not? So, I got the recipe out again today and here is the second version. It’s slightly different as I added a little vanilla and because I didn’t have quite enough walnuts (the original recipe has 100g and I only had 80g), I added some of those sultanas I craved. I also cut down on the sugar. I found, as with many old cake recipes, the amount of sugar used was far more than I was happy with. It’s quite easy and quick to put together. Although you can bake it in a loaf tin, I prefer to use Maher’s alternative suggestion of a 21cm square tin.

Carrot Cake

• 250g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 220g raw carrots
• 80g chopped walnuts, plus a few extra for decoration
• 80g sultanas
• 125g soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 100g melted butter, cooled

Cream Cheese Icing

• 20g soft butter
• 150g cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180C/160 Fan/Gas 4

   

First of all, grease the baking tin, line the bottom with baking parchment and dust a little flour round the buttered sides so the cake comes out easily at the end.

I used Sharpham Park’s excellent Heritage flour but ordinary plain flour is fine.

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together.

   

Top and tail the carrots; scrub or finely peel. Grate finely. I did this into a sieve over a bowl in case much liquid came out of the carrots, but it didn’t.

   

Put the grated carrot, walnuts, sultanas and sugar into a large bowl. Mix together. Then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest.

Then pour in the cooled melted butter and mix well. The mixture will be very wet at this stage. Then add the dry ingredients (flour, etc.) a few spoonfuls at a time and mix well. Now you will have a much stiffer ‘dough’.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and then put into the preheated oven and cook for about 30 minutes.

The original recipe says an hour, but it would only need that long if you used a loaf tin and the mixture was deep. I thought mine would need about 45 minutes but after half an hour, I could see it was done through the oven glass door, took it out and checked for doneness with a sharp knife into the middle, which came out dry. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to get cold.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Put all the ingredients into a deep bowl and beat until it thickens nicely.

   

Put the cooled cake on a plate then spread the icing over the top. Scatter a few chopped walnuts on top.

I remember from last time that this is a cake that benefits from just a little ageing – perhaps tomorrow – but I couldn’t resist cutting a slice to go with my afternoon cup of tea.

It is delicious – especially with that gorgeous icing – and I shall add the sultanas again as I like them in a carrot cake. Hopefully Freddie will approve when he gets to taste some tomorrow after school!