Ingredients

• 175g/6oz soft dark brown sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 150ml/5fl oz olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil)
• 200g/7oz wholemeal self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g/7oz carrots
• peeled
• coarsely grated
• 80g/3oz pecan nuts
• roughly chopped
• plus extra to decorate
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 110g/4oz sultanas
• 25g/1oz raisins
• 50g/2oz desiccated coconut
• 250g/9oz crème fraîche or mascarpone
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 300g/10½oz baby carrots
• washed
• with 2.5cm/1in green stalk still on
• pinch salt
• 70g/2½oz caster sugar
• plus a little extra
• 50g/1¾oz butter

Directions

• For the cake
• preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Lightly grease two 20cm/8in round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• Whisk the sugar
• eggs and olive oil together in a large bowl using an electric hand whisk for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
• Sift the flour
• mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl
• tipping in the grains left in the sieve. Stir in gently. Fold the grated carrot
• pecan nuts
• lemon zest
• sultanas
• raisins and desiccated coconut into the mixture.
• Spoon the mixture equally into the two cake tins and smooth the surface of each with a spatula. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes. They should be nicely risen and feel firm and springy to the touch when lightly pressed in the centre; if not
• cook for a little longer before testing again. When ready
• cool for five minutes before removing the cakes from the tin and cooling completely on a wire rack.
• For the icing
• place all the icing ingredients in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Cover the bowl with cling film and transfer to the fridge for 1-2 hours
• until you are ready to ice the cake.
• For the sugared carrots
• place the carrots in a saucepan and just cover with cold water. Add the salt
• sugar and butter. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 5-6 minutes - the carrots will cook as the water evaporates and a glaze will form in the base of the pan. Toss the cooked carrots in the glaze and then remove them from the pan to a plate with a bit more caster sugar. Roll them in a little more sugar
• and leave to cool.
• When the cakes are completely cold
• spread the icing over the top of each cake and layer them up. Just before serving
• scatter a few pecan nuts over the top of the cake and garnish with the sugared carrots.