Gourmet Carrot Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 ounces self raising flour
4 ounces plain flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8 fluid ounces oil
6 ounces soft brown sugar
4 fluid ounces golden syrup
4 eggs
12 1/2 ounces grated carrots
2 ounces chopped walnuts or 2 ounces pecans
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces butter, softened
6 ounces icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 -2 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to warm 315dF.
Brush a deep 9 inch round cake tin with melted butter or oil.
Line the base and side with baking paper.
Sift the flours, spices and soda into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Whisk together the oil, sugar, syrup and eggs and gradually stir in the dry ingredients until smooth.
Stir in the carrot and walnuts.
Spoon the mixture into the tin.
Bake for 1-1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
Cool in the tin, then on a wire rack Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Gradually add the icing sugar alternately with the vanilla and lemon juice, beating until light and creamy.
Spread the icing over the cake or cut th cake horizontally, sandwich the layers together with half the icing and spread the rest on top.