100gHalf Spoon (half sugar/half sweetener mix), or 200g sugar
200gplain (all-purpose) flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonbicarbonate soda
2teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground cloves
1teaspoonorange extract
250gpeeled and grated carrots
200mlsunflower or vegetable oil
For the frosting
100gunsalted butter, cut into dices and softened
130glow-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1teaspoonorange extract
100-150gicing sugar, according to taste
Decoration (optional)
colorful sprinkles
carrot-shaped sugar cake decorations
grated zest from ½ orange
chopped walnuts
Instructions
Make the batter:
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth.
In a different large bowl, sift flour with baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Add cinnamon, cloves and orange extract and stir.
Stir in the oil (use a spatula). Keep stirring until it's fully absorbed in the batter.
Add the carrots and stir thoroughly.
Lay a baking tray with baking (parchement) paper, and pour over the batter, spread it evenly with the spatula.
Place in the oven and bake for 35-40mins or until slightly brown on top. Check if the batter is cooked through: Insert a bamboo stick inside the dough. If it comes out clean, it means it's done.
Leave to cool down on a cooling rack for at least 45 mins. Take the butter out of the fridge 30mins prior making the frosting.
Make the frosting:
Tip the butter and light cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whip together for 5 minutes or until you get a smooth and creamy texture without any lumps.
Add orange extract and whip again for about 1 minute.
Add icing sugar and whip until you get a smooth cream with no lumps.
Transfer the cream frosting onto the baked traybake. Using a spatula, spread the frosting evenly on the cake.
Sprinkle with decorations of your choice. Leave to set in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled.
Notes
Possible ingredient swaps:
1 teaspoon of baking soda for 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
if you only have baking soda and no baking powder, use 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda in this recipe
light (low-fat) cream cheese for full-fat cream cheese, use less butter (70-80g)
1 teaspoon orange extract for zest of ½ organic unwaxed orange