Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe from The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak.

Ingredients - 

250g carrots, grated

100g unsweetened desiccated coconut

100g pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped

400g vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

400g caster sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks and 4 egg whites

320g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

200g unsalted butter, softened

250g cream cheese

750g icing sugar, sifted

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method - 

Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C fan and then butter and line two 23cm tins with baking parchment. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot, coconut and pecans. Set aside.

In another bowl (preferably the bowl of an electric mixer), whisk the vegetable oil, vanilla, 200g of caster sugar, two whole eggs and two egg yolks until it is foamy. Add this to the carrot mixture and fold in well.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together. Mix into the egg and carrot mixture.

In the bowl of an electric mixture, whisk together the egg whites, salt and the remainder of the caster sugar until stiff meringue peaks. Fold this into the carrot mixture until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins.

Bake the cakes for about 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tins to cool for about 30 minutes and then remove and leave to cool completely. 

To make the icing, add the butter to a bowl and whip until it is light and creamy. Add the cream cheese and then beat well. Slowly and gradually add the icing sugar and beat on a low speed for three minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 5 more minutes. Ice the cake and enjoy!