Carrot Cake♡

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 8-inch round cake tins and line their bases with baking paper.

Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, add the white sugar, light brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently until the ingredients are just combined and no large pockets of flour remain.

Toast the pecans and walnuts until fragrant, then leave them to cool slightly before roughly chopping them.

Fold the chopped pecans and walnuts into the cake batter.

Peel and finely grate the carrots, then fold them through the batter until evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared 8-inch cake tins and smooth the surfaces.

Bake at 180°C for approximately 35 minutes, or until the cakes are risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the cakes to cool in their tins briefly before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack. Allow both layers to cool completely before decorating.

Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate or cake board. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top, then carefully position the second cake layer.

Cover the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting. Smooth the frosting or pipe decorative swirls around the cake as desired.

Decorate with pecans, optional sugar carrots and additional chopped toasted nuts before slicing and serving.