Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Method
Prep:1hr30min  ›  Cook:2hr  ›  Extra time:2hr chilling  ›  Ready in:5hr30min 

1. Preheat oven to 160 C / Gas 2. Grease and flour one 25cm round cake tin OR two large loaf tins. If you don't have non-stick tins, raise the oven temperature to 170 C / Gas 3.
2. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir in caster sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs, then beat in the vegetable oil and soured cream. Stir in the vanilla extract. Don't overmix the liquid, only beat until each ingredient is combined and mixture is smooth.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and slowly fold in the liquid mix, then continue to stir until smooth and combined.
5. Stir through walnuts and then stir through carrot, ensuring this is evenly spread throughout the mix.
6. Pour into prepared tins and bake in preheated oven for 2 hours. Ensure cake is rotated in the oven at half way through the cooking time. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Allow cake to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes before turning it out on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To make the icing: Beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and combined. Gradually add the icing and continue to beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts and spread over cooled cake. Chill for 2+ hours to allow icing to set.

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