Three layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese icing

Serves 12

Ingredients

Carrot Cake (3 layers)

• 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1 3/4 cups (440 ml) canola or other vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) caster sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 2 fresh vanilla beans, seeds only)
• 6 large eggs
• 4 1/2 cups (450 grams) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) coarsely chopped, lightly roasted macadamias

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1kg cream cheese
• 500g unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean
• 1.5kg soft icing sugar

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Grease three 22cm round cake tins and line the bottom with greaseproof paper (cut perfectly to fit the base). Grease and flour the sides of the tins.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and the nutmeg until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
4. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until well combined and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots and macadamias.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins (you can use scales here to make sure each cake is exactly the same size). Bake until when a skewer is inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean; 35 to 45 minutes.
6. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off greaseproof paper and cool completely. Note: the cakes can be made the day before and kept in airtight containers until ready to be iced.
7. To make the icing, place butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a stand mixer and beat until well combined. Slowly add the sifted icing sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Once all sugar has been added and icing is well blended together, place into piping bags ready to be piped onto each layer of cake.