Carrot and Cardamom Cake

December is such a busy month with all the revelry, shopping and general merriment, so a sweetly satisfying treat is always welcome fortification. Carrot cake is usually spiced with cinnamon, but this time I've gone with cardamom to mix things up. The combination is thoroughly lovely but a word of warning, take care with the cardamom as a heavy hand can mean an overpowering perfume that is far from pleasing!

Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 60-70 Mins
The seeds from a few Cardamom Pods (I used 6 small ones)
175g Plain Flour
175g Light Muscovado Sugar
1tsp Baking Powder
165ml Rapeseed Oil
2 Large Eggs
200g Fresh Carrots (Peeled and grated)
125g Sultanas
50g Icing Sugar
A few teaspoons of Water

Let's get cracking! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper. Crush the cardamom seeds to a powder and add to a large mixing bowl with the plain flour, muscovado sugar and baking powder. Mix all together and set to one side. In a large jug beat together the oil and eggs then pour into your dry ingredients. Mix together to a smooth and consistent batter, then fold through the grated carrots and sultanas. Spoon into your prepared tin, even to the edges and bake in the centre of the oven for around an hour, until risen and a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted in to the middle of the cake. When you are happy the loaf cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for around 20 mins then turn out onto a wire rack.

Once the cake is cool you can ice. Mix together the icing sugar with a few drops of water until smooth and glossy, then drizzle all over the cake. Leave to set, then slice and serve. Yum yum yum!