Homemade © J Sainsbury plc 2016 www.homemadebyyou.co.uk
Photograph: Karen Thomas
Carrot and pistachio cake
This delicious carrot and pistachio cake from Sarah Randell for Sainsbury's magazine is a treat with a real wow factor
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Ready in 55 minutes
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Cooking time 25 minutes
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Prep time 30 minutes, plus cooling
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Serves 12
Ingredients
- 300 g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus a little extra to dust
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 0.25 tsp ground clove
- 4 large eggs
- 275 g light muscovado sugar
- 250 ml rapeseed oil
- 400 g carrots, trimmed and grated
- 100 g roughly chopped pistachio kernels
- 100 g sultanas
- 1 lime, zested
- 1 small handful blueberries, to finish
- ½ lime, zested, to finish
For the frosting:
- 150 g very soft unsalted butter
- 400 g full-fat cream cheese such as Philadelphia, chilled
- 200 g Greek yogurt, chilled
- 350 g icing sugar, sifted
Method
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1
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl. Add the eggs, sugar and oil; whisk.
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2
In another bowl, mix the carrots, pistachios, sultanas and lime zest. Fold into the egg mixture. Divide the mixture between three greased and lined 20cm x 4cm sandwich tins. Level with the back of a spoon, then bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes.
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3
For the frosting, whisk the butter for a minute. Add the other ingredients; combine.
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4
Cool the cakes, then turn out on to a wire rack. Layer the cakes with the frosting, then coat the outside. Dust with cinnamon and top with blueberries and lime zest.
Kitchen secret: it's important to use real Philadelphia cream cheese for the icing, as it contains natural stabilisers that help give a thick and fluffy icing. Don't be tempted to use low-fat versions or 'soft white cheese' instead
