Mother's Day Dessert 1 - Carrot Cake with Walnut and Cream Cheese Frosting

Mother's Day is just a week away.  Why not show your love by baking her a cake.  This carrot cake is always welcome at birthdays, weddings, gatherings and all special occasions.

Ingredients:
4 medium eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup dark brown sugar or brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrot
1 cup chopped walnut

Cream Cheese Frosting:
175g Philadelphia cream cheese, soften
2 to 4 cups icing sugar
80 cup butter, soften
1 tsp vanilla extract
Serves 12

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 180C.  Line a 9 inch/23cm cake tin with baking paper.

2.  In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla extract together until well mix.

3.  sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, mixed spice and fold in the wet mixture until well combine.

4.  Stir in grated carrot and chopped walnut.  Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until inserted a toothpick and come out dry.  Cool in a wire rack.

5.  To prepare the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and 2 cups of icing sugar together.  Then gradually add more icing sugar to the sweetness you desire.  The cake itself is not so sweet, so you might want to have a sweeter frosting.  Place the frosting in the fridge while waiting for the cake to be completely cooled or for an hour for easier spreading.