RECIPE: Carrot Cake

Chef Nonjabulo Nzuza never considered a career in the culinary industry. She was dead set on becoming an electrical engineer, but dropped out when she discovered her calling in the kitchen. Today, the 34-year-old qualified chef runs her own coffee shop, Sweet & Savoury Café. Nzuza’s speciality is dessert and she’s known for her mouth-watering carrot cake.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups grated carrots

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180° and grease a deep oven bowl, cake pan or 12 cup muffin tray with cooking spray.
2. Mix sugar and oil while adding the eggs one at a time. Keep mixing until everything is well-blended.
3. Add grated carrots.
4. Sift all the dry ingredients together and add to the sugar mixture.
5. Bake for 40 minutes.

Icing:

Ingredients:

• 250g butter or margarine
• cups of icing sugar
• 1 tub of cream cheese
• 1 tsp lemon essence
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

Method:

1. Sift icing sugar and gradually add it to the butter/margarine. Beat until it’s fluffy.
2. Combine lemon essence, cinnamon powder and cream cheese. Don’t overmix.
3. To ice the cake use a spatula or pipe with a nozzle and a piping bag for cupcakes.