Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Icing

Cook with:
Filippo Berio Mild & Light in Colour Olive Oil
Serves:
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For Cake:

  • 400g carrots, peeled and grated
  • 240ml buttermilk
  • 270g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp each of ground nutmet, allspice and cloves
  • 4 eggs
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 90g brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 110g toasted chopped walnuts
  • 100g raisins
  • 180ml Filippo Berio Mild & Light Olive Oil

For Icing:

  • 220g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  • 30g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
  • Pinch salt
  • 200ml heavy cream

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease metal 13- x 9-inch cake pan with 1/2 tsp oil and dust with flour. Set aside.
  2. In small bowl, stir carrots with buttermilk; set aside.
  3. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
  4. Using electric mixer on high speed, beat together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla for 3 to 5 minutes or until pale and thickened.
  5. Reduce speed to medium-low; slowly pour in remaining oil in steady stream.
  6. Alternately add flour mixture in 3 additions and carrot mixture in 2 additions, starting and ending with flour mixture, until smooth.
  1. Fold in walnuts, and raisins (if using). Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top.
  2. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack. Let cool completely.
  3. For the Icing: In large bowl, stir together mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla, orange zest and salt until smooth and well combined.
  4. Using electric mixer on high speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Fold gently into mascarpone mixture; spread over cake.
  5. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.