I remember the first time I went to Dublin as if it was yesterday. I loved the city, the people and the special spirit there. But most of all, I liked the Queen of Tarts and their carrot cake. Back then you couldn’t find it in a tourist guide, it was a secret shared with my by a colleague and we stumbed into the new place that they just opened in Cows Lane. The carrot cake was juicy and fresh, full of flavours and melt-in-the-mouth. Since that time I’ve been looking for a good recipe that meets the taste of my menory. The flavour may have faded away over time but I find the recipe is totally awesome.

For 1 loaf tin:

• 200 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 200 ml sunflower oil
• 200 g flour
• 1/2 pack baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 200 g grated carrots
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 170° C (no fan). Whisk the eggs and the sugar until thick and pale. This takes some time, so a stand mixer is of advantage 🙂 Pour in the oil in a small stream while beating at low speed until completely incorporated. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sift into the egg-mixture. Fold in with the ballon whisk at low speed. Then add the carrots, vanilla extract and stir in. Fill the loaf tin with the mixture and bake for 1 hour until a skewer comes out clean. Put the cake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. For those of you who wonder what mixed spice is, I did too. I found this “recipe”: Mix 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp ground clove and tadaaa.

For the topping:

• 90 g cream cheese
• 25 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 175 g icing sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, zest and juice until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and beat the mixture again. If it is too liquid, store in the fridge for 10 minutes. Spread over the cooled cake. I like my frosting to flood over the cake, so it does not look too styled. Enjoy!

Recipe found in “Avoca Tea Time”

I have experimented with the topping for some time as it is rather sweet and too thin for my taste. I have come up with an alternative that involves more cream cheese, less sugar and some orange zest to deceive your taste buds (as someone put it today).

Topping alternative:

• 175 g crem cheese
• 50 g butter at room temperature
• zest of 1/2 organic orange
• max. 50 g icing sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter and zest, then sift in half of the icing sugar. If it is not sweet enough for you, sift in the rest. If it is sweet enough, you’re good to go. The cake can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy this super moist stuff with a nice cuppa tea or coffe!