Ingredients

• 110g/4 ozs. butter
• 55g/2 ozs. caster sugar
• 55g/2 ozs. light soft brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 110g/4 ozs. freshly grated carrot
• 110g/4 ozs. self raising flour
• 25g/1 oz. ground almonds
• Finely grated rind of 1 orange
• Few drops of oil of orange (optional)

Topping

• 1½ teaspoons demerara sugar
• Flaked almonds

Method

1. Cream the butter & sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs a little at a time, together with the ground almonds.
3. Tip on the carrots & rind in & mix in.
4. Fold the flour in.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin & sprinkle the top with the sugar & flaked almonds.

Baking

2 oven AGA - put the cake in the preheated Cake Baker on the floor of the ROASTING OVEN for approx. 50-60 minutes.

4 oven AGA - put the cake tin on the grid shelf resting on the floor of the BAKING OVEN for approx. 50 - 60 minutes. Cover with greaseproof paper if it is getting too brown before the end of the baking time.

When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven, and leave it still in the tin resting on a cooling rack for approx. 10 minutes before turning out to become completely cold.

N.B. For alternative orange curd icing to top the cake :-

Ingredients

• 75g/3 ozs. caster sugar
• Zest & juice of 1 orange
• 2 eggs
• 50g/2 ozs. butter
• Sieved icing sugar

Method

1. Put the sugar & orange rind in a bowl.
2. Whisk the orange juice & eggs together.
3. Pour the liquid over the sugar.
4. Top with the cubed butter.
5. Put the bowl over simmering water & cook, stirring from time to time until the mixture thickens.
6. Cool before stirring in sufficient sieved icing sugar to make a thick topping for the cake.