Carrot and raisin loaf recipe

You can't beat a classic carrot cake and this version with raisins, cream cheese and sugarpaste carrots is bound to be a winner.

Ingredients

Forthe cake:

• 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
• 175g (6oz) soft light brown sugar
• 150g (5oz) raisins
• 2 level tsp ground mixed spice
• Pinch of salt
• 150ml (¼ pint) sunflower oil
• 3 medium eggs 2
• 50g (2oz) carrots, peeled and grated

For the topping:

• 200g carton cream cheese
• 3 level tbsp icing sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Sugarpaste or marzipan carrots, for decoration, optional (see Sue's tip, right)
• 1kg (2lb) loaf tin, buttered and lined with a strip of baking parchment

Method

1. Set the oven to gas mark 4 or 180°C.
2. To make the cake: Tip the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar, raisins, mixed spice and salt.
3. Beat the sunflower oil and eggs together and add to the dry ingredients and carrots, then stir until well mixed. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin.
4. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hr, until it is just firm to the touch in the centre, and a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for about 10 mins. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the topping: Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon zest. Spread the icing over the top of the cake and decorate with the sweet 'carrots', if liked.