We never say no to cake! And neither should you! So why not try our delicious carrot sponge cake with banana icing?

SERVES 12 // COOK TIME 35 min

INGREDIENTS
For the carrot cake
2½ cups cake flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1½ tsp bicarb
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup veg oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups grated carrots
¾ cup chopped pecans
¾ cup desiccated coconut
440 g tincrushed pineapple, drained
For the banana icing
1 cup cream cheese
1 banana, mashed
6 cups icing sugar, sifted

METHOD
For the carrot cake
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20 cm tins.
2. In a bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, bicarb, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until pale.
4. Stir in flour mixture, then add carrots, pecans, coconut and pineapple.
5. Divide the batter between the cake tins. Bake for 35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Do not open the oven until just about done. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out.
For the banana icing
1. Blend the cream cheese and banana until smooth.
2. Slowly whisk in the icing sugar, until thickened.
To assemble
1. Sandwich the 2 layers together with half the icing. Ice the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing

DID YOU KNOW: Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it draws water to itself. Brushing this cake with sugar syrup both adds moisture and preserves it, should the cake sit out for a while before it’s eaten.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Gareth Van Nelson

Dreaming of a creamy, ultra-smooth classic cheesecake recipe, paired with a red-velvet crust? Then look no further than this simply decadent red-velvet cheesecake.