Carrot cake Gluten free

New Zealanders always loved carrot cake. This Old Fashioned Carrot Cake has a feel of “yester-year". You can toast the walnuts in advance.  You can also make the icing a day or two ahead – just take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before spreading it onto the cake. 

This moist carrot cake is welcome at birthdays, weddings, reunions and all special occasions. Soft, tender, rich and moist with that warming vintage taste of freshly ground cinnamon and fruity lemon zest. Come pull up a chair at the kitchen table, pour a cup lemon tea and enjoy a slice or two.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line the bases of one 40cm baking pan with baking paper and spray the sides with oil.

2. Beat the eggs and the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric beaterfor 4-5 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. At a low speed, beat in the oil, pineapple and vanilla essence. Sift over the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and gently fold together until the ingredients are well combined. Fold through the grated carrot and nuts.

3. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of each comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks.

4. To make the cream cheese icing, cream the cream cheese, butter and lemon juice with an electric beater until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, lemon zest and vanilla essence and beat well.

5. To assemble the cake face down so the top is as flat as possible. Cover the whole cake with a layer of cream cheese icing. Sprinkle the top of the cake with walnuts and dry apricot. Keep the cake refrigerated until serving.

If you have tried this recipe, please tell me what you think