Saturday Carrot Cake

One of the surprises of the website is what marvellous memories some of you have. Within a few weeks of launch along came an e-mail from G Blatherwick requesting this recipe from the 1980s Saturday TV programme SuperStore. It is a darker, denser cake than my most recent version and very simple to make: as I said at the time the rule for recipes on that crazy programme was, 'Pick something where nothing – much – could go wrong.'

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  Makes a 1 lb (450 g) loaf cake

Ingredients
3 oz (75 g) peeled and grated carrot (about 1 medium-sized carrot)
4 oz (110 g) plain wholewheat flour
½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ level teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 fl oz (75 ml) groundnut oil
3 oz (75 g) soft brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 oz (50 g) chopped walnuts
For the topping:
2 oz (50 g) full-fat soft cream cheese
1 oz (25 g) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 oz (25 g) icing sugar, sieved
8 walnut pieces (optional)
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).

Conversions
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Equipment
You will need a 1 lb (450 g) loaf tin 6 x 3¾ x 2¾ inches (15 x 9.5 x 7 cm). Brush it with some melted butter, then line the base with greaseproof paper, and brush that as well.

Method

Grate the carrot straight into a mixing bowl, then sift in the dry ingredients to give them a good airing and tip any grains left behind in the sieve into the bowl too. Add all the rest of the cake ingredients and stir well until everything is well and truly mixed, then scrape the mixture into your prepared tin.

Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour, or until well risen. When cooked it will come about two-thirds of the way up the tin and just begin to shrink away from the sides of the tin. After that remove it from the oven and leave the tin on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before turning the cake out and stripping off the paper.

When it has cooled for 45 minutes or so, you can spread the topping on. To make the topping, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and beat until smooth. Spread it thickly on the top of the cake and decorate it, perhaps with additional walnut pieces. Store in an airtight tin or container.r100

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 Serves 12

Low-fat Moist Carrot Cake

I have been making carrot cake for years, and each time it seems to improve with a little tinkering here and there. A few years ago I attempted a low-fat version rather reluctantly, not believing it was possible. Now I have to admit it's become one o