A delicious cake ideal for summer entertaining.
Serves 12. Cook time 1 hour + cooling time.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 300mI vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 400g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 300g caster sugar
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 cups (300g) firmly packed grated carrot
- 280g can crushed pineapple, plus the juice
- 2 mangoes, freshly peeled and sliced plus, extra slices for garnish
- 100g of flaked coconut, toasted
- Sifted icing sugar for dusting
ICING
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 500g icing sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170 C (150C fan-forced). Grease 2 x 23 cm cake pans and line the bases with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined using an electric mixer.
- Into a separate bowl combine the plain flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar and walnuts.
- Combine egg mixture and flour mixture until well combined, then stir in carrot, crushed pineapple and the juice.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and wait to cool slightly before turning cakes out of the pans onto a wire rack.
Icing
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and vanilla and beat until smooth and incorporated. Gradually add icing sugar and lemon juice and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Cover with plastic film and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
- Now for the fun bit. If your cakes have domed up in the middle, use a large, serrated knife to cut the top off to give a flat surface. Place one cake onto a cake stand or a flat plate. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese icing over the top and cover with mango slices, leaving some to garnish. Top with the second cake, making sure it is as straight as possible.
- Spread the remaining cream cheese icing over the top, working your way down with a spatula to cover the top and all around the sides. Gently press the coconut all around the sides of the cake.
- Decorate with extra mango slices, some edible flowers from the garden, and a dusting of icing sugar.
From Simmone Logue, “From My Kitchen”.
