Carrot cake
We've been asking you to vote all week for which cake you'd like John and Charlotte to prepare and we can reveal that the winner is... John Whaite's carrot cake with cream cheese frosting by Charlotte White!
This version is extra fruity with a little spice - and Charlotte also shows us how to make pretty sugar paste carrots to adorn it.
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Ingredients:
225g light brown muscovado sugar4 large eggs225ml sunflower oil300g self-raising flour1tsp ground cinnamon2tsp ground mixed spiceZest of 1 orange100g dried cranberries¼ tsp salt225g carrot, grated75g pecans, roughly chopped
For the cream cheese frosting:
125g unsalted butter125g full fat cream cheese500g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra
For the sugar paste carrots:
50g orange sugar paste25g green sugar paste
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm cake tins
Beat the sugar, eggs and oil until well mixed (if preferred use a freestanding mixer with paddle attachment)
Add the flour, cinnamon, spice, zest, cranberries and salt and beat until a smooth batter forms. Add the carrot and pecans and beat until evenly dispersed in the batter.
Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and mixed. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until soft peaks form. Add more or less icing sugar if necessary.
Fill a piping bag with the frosting. If using a disposable bag, snip the end with scissors to make a hole. Pipe blobs of frosting around the edge of one of the sponges. Fill in the centre with a piped swirl of frosting.
Place the second cake upside down on top. Spread the remaining frosting over, create a swirl effect with a palette knife.
To make the carrots, use the orange sugarpaste to roll 12 malteser-sized balls. Place a ball in the palm of your hand, roll and press down lightly on one side to create a cone effect. Make a small cut in the top of the carrot.
Use the green sugarpaste to roll 12 small pea-sized balls. Repeat the stage above to create mini cone shapes. Place on a board, use a small knife to make 2 small incisions in the long end of the cone. Poke the green carrot top into the hole in the carrot. Repeat until all the carrots and tops are complete.
Use a small knife to score ridges along each of the carrots
Use to decorate the cake