Ingredients
- 9 medium carrots, grated
- 300g/10½ oz flour
- 225g/8oz brown caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 300ml/10½fl oz sunflower oil
- 150g/5½ oz walnuts, roughly chopped
- zest of 1 (organic) lemon
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 ½ heaped teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 125g/4½oz soft butter at room temperature plus extra for greasing the spring form
- 250g/9oz mascarpone cheese
- juice of ½ lemon
- zest of 1 (organic) lemon (for the icing)
- 75g icing sugar
- roasted almond flakes or thin slices of lemon peel
Concerning food, the UK is mainly famous for its ‘Fish and Chips’ that can be bought in many places on the street. Also, breakfast is a really traditional dish in the UK. Then there is also Sunday lunch with chicken, beef, pork or lamb with seasonal vegetables, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Indian and Chinese food is becoming more and more popular.
Of course, if you have enough time, it is worth going for a high tea in England, with some carrot cake perhaps.
Preparation
What else:
- 23 cm spring form
- parchment paper
- electric mixer
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celcius/350 degrees Fahrenheit/gas 4. Butter the spring form and line its bottom with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs with the brown caster sugar until light and airy. Pour in the sunflower oil and beat for a few more minutes. Fold in the carrots and then the flour with the cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Finally fold in the walnuts and lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into the prepared spring form and bake for about 45 - 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the spring form before taking out.
To make the icing, mix the butter with the mascarpone, lemon juice, lemon zest and icing sugar until smooth. Store in the fridge until the cake is completely cold. Then ice the top of the cake with the icing, it can be as smooth or rough as you like. Decorate with roasted almond flakes or lemon peel.