Ingredients:
* 375 g self-raising flour
* 2 teaspoons mixed spice (or cinnamon/nutmeg mixture)
* 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
* 300 g brown sugar
* 250 ml vegetable or canola oil
* 3 large eggs
* 3 cups grated carrots
* 110 g coarsely chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting:
* 80 g cream cheese, softened but still cool
* 30 g butter, softened but still cool
* 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
* 240 g icing sugar
Method:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 180°C. Grease 22 cm round baking pan with vegetable oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment and oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar and eggs until thick and creamy.
3. Stir in carrots and nuts using wooden spoon..
4. Add the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into cake pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about an hour. On a wire rack, cool cake to room temperature in pan, then turn top-side down.
5. Mix cream cheese, butter, and lemon rind at medium high speed in clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment ( or in large bowl using handheld mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add icing sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute.
6. Using icing spatula, spread frosting evenly over surface of cake and decorate.
