CARROT CAKE WITH A KICK

MAKES 1 LARGE CAKE
Preparation: 15 min
Cooking: 30 min
• 500 ml (2 c) flour
• 10 ml (2 t) baking powder
• 7 ml (1½ t) bicarbonate of soda
• 5 ml (1 t) salt
• 12 ml (2½ t) ground cinnamon
• 500 ml (2 c) sugar
• 375 ml (1½ c) oil
• 4 eggs
• 500 ml (2 c) coarsely grated carrots
• 400 g fresh pineapple, finely grated
• 250 ml (1 c) chopped pecan nuts
• 60 ml (¼ c) whisky
ICING
• 100 g butter
• 250 g cream cheese
• 20 ml (4 t) whisky
• 500 g icing sugar
• canned or glazed fruit such as quince, citrus and citron pieces
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease two square baking tins and line with greaseproof paper.
1. CAKE Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.
2. Beat the sugar, oil and eggs and add to the dry mix.
3. Stir in the carrot, pineapple, nuts and whisky.
4. Pour into the baking tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool slightly in the tin then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. FILLING Beat the butter and cream cheese until soft, add the whisky and icing sugar and beat well. Add more whisky if the mixture is still too thick.
7. Sandwich the two cake layers with a bit of the icing. Spread the rest of the icing on top and decorate with canned or glazed fruit.