Carrot & Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

250ml/8¾fl oz olive oil

500g/1lb 1oz caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

250g/8¾oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

1 tsp sea salt

125g/4½oz pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

500g/1lb 1oz carrots, peeled and grated

knob of butter, for greasing

For the mascarpone icing:

125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

250g/8¾oz mascarpone cheese or cream cheese

250g/8¾oz icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Put the olive oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl and stir until well mixed. Sift the flour and other dry ingredients into a second bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and oil mixture and mix thoroughly until blended. Add the pecan or walnuts and carrots and mix well.

Line a 24cm/10in springform cake tin with baking parchment, grease it and lightly dust with flour. Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for one hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin, then run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and turn out.

To make the icing, mix the butter, vanilla and mascarpone or cream cheese in a food processor or bowl. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Do not overmix or the icing may curdle. Spread onto the cake and make patterns in the top.