The reason I've titled this 'Carrot Cake Recipe Using Butter' is because initially I couldn't find a recipe that suited using butter rather than oil. I've compiled the recipe from about four to five other recipes plus a bit of improvisation.

This was my first time making carrot cake and would you believe the first time tasting it too. I'd always been been put off by the fact there was carrot involved in a sweet cake and I thought it was a daft idea. However, on tasting it I was completely wrong and it is a lovely cake.

I've noticed that it is the fashion to 'dress' a carrot cake with piped cream cheese frosting, I didn't bother because I didn't have the ingredients to hand. Personally I'm happy with the cake without, I found it easily sweet enough.

Calorie estimate based on 12 slices per cake via livestrong.com: 219 calories per slice of carrot cake

Ingredients for carrot cake using butter, designed for a 2lb loaf tin

• 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) self-raising flour
• 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) sugar (I used light muscovado)
• 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) butter
• 5 1/4 oz (150 grams) carrots. Peeled, topped, tailed & grated
• Zest of one orange
• 1 teaspoon or bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of mixed spice
• 2 medium sized eggs
• 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) raisin or sultanas

How to make the carrot cake:

• Preheat your oven to 170C (I use standard convection so maybe a touch less for fan). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until creamed. Continue to beat in one egg at a time bringing back the consistency before adding the second. Beat in the flour, sifted first. Tip in your grated carrot, bi-carb, cinnamon, mixed spice, zest and raisins (or sultanas) and mix well.
• Tip the carrot cake mixture into your loaf tin, levelling it out using the back of a metal dessert spoon. I tend to try and make a dip in the centre so that the mixture ramps up a little at the sides just so that when the cake begins to rise it levels out.
• Bake for around 50 minutes until the top springs back when lightly pressed, or you've checked with a cake tester. The speed at which it bakes will depend on your oven, so I'd begin to check around 40 minutes. It may take less or more time depending on the strength of the oven.

Leave to cool once baked in the tin, on a wire rack. You can then remove it from the tin to completely cool once it's at a temperature easy to handle.

Hope you enjoy this carrot cake as much as me.

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