DRUNKEN CARROT CAKE

WITH EXTRA SPICE/STEM GINGER AND MARMALADE
26-28CM /LARGE BUNDT TIN

INGREDIENTS:
140G RAISINS
100G DRIED APRICOTS- ROUGHLY CHOPPED
8 DATES  –STONES REMOVED CHOPPED
2 GENEROUS GLUG OF BRANDY

GENEROUS KNOB OF BUTTER FOR GREASING

580G SELF –RAISING FLOUR- SIFTED
2 HEAPED TSP OF BAKING POWDER
3 HEAPED TSP OF GROUND CINNAMON
3 TSP GROUND GINGER
120G STEM GINGER – DICED
FINELY GRATED ZEST OF 1 LARGE ORANGE
600G LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
660G CARROTS- COARSELY GRATED
140G WALNUTS- HALVED
8 FREE RANGE EGGS- BEATEN
380ML SUNFLOWER OIL

ZESTED CREAM CHEESE ICING-
70G BUTTER- SOFTENED
280G FULL FAT CREAM CHEESE
130G ICING SUGAR
FINELY GRATED ZEST OF 1 LARGE ORANGE

PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 180 DEGREES CELSIUS | BEGIN BY COMBINING THE RAISINS, APRICOTS AND DATES WITH THE BRANDY AND SET TO ONCE SIDE TO SOAK FOR 20 MINUTES.
GENEROUSLY GREASE YOUR BUNDT TIN WITH BUTTER THEN SPRINKLE OVER A LITTLE FLOUR SO IT’S EVENLY COVERED.

COMBINE THE FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, CINNAMON AND GROUND GINGER IN A LARGE BOWL AND THOROUGHLY COMBINE | ADD IN THE STEM GINGER, ORANGE ZEST, LIGHT BROWN SUGAR, CARROTS AND WALNUTS. STIRRING AGAIN TO COMBINE | DRAIN THE RAISINS, APRICOTS AND DATES AND ADD THESE TOO FOLLOWED BY THE BEATEN EGGS AND SUNFLOWER OIL | MIX AGAIN UNTIL ALL INGREDIENTS ARE THOROUGHLY COMBINED AND POUR INTO THE BUNDT TIN

 PLACE IN THE OVEN AND COOK FOR 1.15HRS | CHECK THAT IT’S COOKED THROUGH BY USING A SKEWER OR KNIFE, IT SHOULD COME OUT CLEAN WHEN PRICKED THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH.

ALLOW TO COOL A LITTLE, FOR AROUND 10 MINUTES BEFORE TURNING OUT | THEN ALLOW TO COOL COMPLETELY AHEAD OF ICING.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE BEAT TOGETHER TO SOFTENED BUTTER WITH THE CREAM CHEESE THEN ADD IN THE ICING SUGAR AND WHISK AGAIN UNTIL YOU HAVE A SMOOTH CONSISTENCY, NO LUMPS. ADD IN THE ZEST AND GENEROUSLY COVER YOUR CAKE.