Name: Carrot Cake Slice
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: Makes 24
Ingredients: 150 g butter, melted; 1 ⅓ cup self-raising flour; 1 cup brown sugar; 2 tbsp desiccated coconut; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; ¾ cup grated carrots (around 2 medium-sized carrots); ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped; ¼ cup sultanas; ¼ cup currants; Cream cheese icing; 250 g cream cheese, softened; 180 g butter, softened; 220 g icing sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract

Create Bake Make has jazzed up the classic carrot cake recipe and turned it into a slice, with all your favourite bits (walnuts & cream cheese icing) included!

Ingredients

150 g butter, melted

1 ⅓ cup self-raising flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

¾ cup grated carrots (around 2 medium-sized carrots)

½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup sultanas

¼ cup currants

Cream cheese icing

250 g cream cheese, softened

180 g butter, softened

220 g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a 28cm x 18cm slice tin with baking paper. Make sure you leave paper hanging over the sides of the tin to help you remove the slice once it has cooked.

2.Place all slice ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a large spoon until combined.

3.Pour the carrot cake slice mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the slice is golden. Every oven is different, so test by inserting a skewer into the centre of the slice – the skewer should come out with no batter on it. Carefully remove the slice from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin.

To make the cream cheese icing, place the softened cream cheese and butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on a medium speed for 3 minutes until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the icing sugar and vanilla extract, and mix on a low speed for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and mix for a further 3 minutes until the mixture is well combined.

5.Use a butter knife to spread the icing over the top of the slice and place it into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

6.Carefully remove the slice from the tin (using the excess baking paper as ‘handles’) and cut the slice into 4.5cm squares.

New Idea team