carrot, orange and caraway cake

This is a combination of some of my favourite flavours and a cross between a traditional carrot cake and a seed cake.  Carrot and caraway have long been used together in savoury dishes and are a perfect match so I thought why not use this combination in a cake...? The pungent aniseed flavour of the caraway and the sharp citrus of the orange zests works well with the carrot, and it is definitely a cake I shall be baking again.  I hope you enjoy it.

300g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200 g soft brown sugar
4 eggs
250ml oil
3 oranges zested
200 g grated carrots
1 tbs caraway seeds
1 tsp nutmeg
1 pinch salt

• heat the oven to 150.c and grease and line a 20cm deep cake tin or 2 1lb loaf tins.
• sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and then stir in the sugar
• in a separate bowl beat the eggs with the oil and orange zest for a few minutes
• stir in the grated carrots, caraway seeds, nutmeg and salt and then fold everything into the flour mixture
• pour into the prepared tins and then bake for 40mins-1hour (depending on the size of tins you are using)
• it is ready when risen and a skewer comes out clean
• leave to cool in tins for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack

Eat with a nice cup of tea while watching Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday night.