Adding pineapple to the batter results in an utterly moist and flavourful cake! 

Spiced carrot cake with cottage cheese frosting 

SERVES 6

Ingredients

3 chai tea bags
½ cup (125ml) hot milk
2 cups (300g) cake flour
1 packet (100g) peanuts, chopped (or mixed nuts) + extra for decorating
2 tsp (10ml) each bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon and baking powder
½ tsp (3ml) fine salt
1½ cups (300g) SELATI Golden Brown Sugar
4 eggs
1 cup (250ml) sunflower oil
2 cups (160g) grated carrot
2 cups (420g) frozen pineapple, thawed

Frosting: 

1 tub (250g) smooth cottage cheese
½ tsp (3ml) ground cinnamon
4 cups (520g) SELATI Icing Snow
Lemon juice, to taste

Method

1. Steep tea bags in hot milk for 10 minutes, then discard bags.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C and line two 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins with baking paper
3. Combine dry ingredients, except sugar, in a bowl.
4. Cream sugar and eggs together in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy.
5. Whisk in oil, then fold wet mixture into dry ingredients.
6. Stir in carrot and pineapple until just combined.
7. Spoon batter into baking tins.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
9. Cool for 5 minutes in tins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
10. Cut cakes in half horizontally to create 2 layers each.
11. Whisk cream cheese until softened and smooth.
12. Add cinnamon and 1 cup icing sugar and whisk until smooth.
13. Add remaining icing sugar in two parts, mix in each time until smooth and add drop lemon juice to taste.
14. Pipe or spoon frosting between cake layers.
15. Top cakes with frosting and nuts or decorate with spun sugar, if you like.

CHEF’S TIP

Make it mini – Divide batter between four 8cm prepared loose-bottomed cake tins then bake. (Two 18cm baking trays will work too – cut baked cake later with a cookie cutter to create rounds.)

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