I got the recipe from one of my favourite Australian cooking magazines (hence the measuring cups but I converted for ease), adapted and perfected it through the years… It even won a first in a village competition. Best of all, it is actually what my boys request the most!

Ingredients:

• 185g soft, unsalted butter
• 100g light brown sugar
• 100g dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 240g grated carrots, mixed with the zest and 1tbsp of the juice of a citrus fruit {normally I would use an orange, but today all I had was a grapefruit}
• 25g dessicated coconut
• 120g plain flour
• 120g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground vanilla
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

Preparation:

• Grate the carrots and mix in with the zest and juice. Set aside
• Preheat oven to 180C/ 160Fan/ Gas 4 and grease or line a 20cm/ 8″ round springform cake tin
• Cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer in a small bowl until light and fluffy
• Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined
• Transfer into a larger bowl and stir in by hands carrots (with juice) and coconut
• Sift in all the dry ingredients and lightly combine until just mixed
• Spread into the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 50mn, until it feels firm and springy when you press in the centre and the sides are detached
• Cool in the tin for 5mn before transferring to a cooling rack

Icing:

For a simple icing, I sift some icing sugar and mix it in with a little milk to form a smooth and shiny paste. As I had some shredded carrots left, I added it to the paste for effect!