Spiced Carrot Cake Recipe

175 g/6 oz/1 cup dates
120 ml/4 fl oz/0.5 cup water
175 g/6 oz/0.75 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225 g/8 oz/2 cups self-raising (self-rising) flour
175 g/6 oz carrots, finely grated

25 g/1 oz/0.25 cup ground almonds

Grated rind of 1 orange

2.5 ml/0.5 tsp ground mixed (apple-pie) spice
2.5 ml/0.5 tsp ground cinnamon

2.5 ml/0.5 tsp ground ginger
For the icing (frosting):

350 g/12 oz/1.5 cups quark
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
Grated rind of 1 orange

Method:

Place the dates and water in a small pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until soft. Remove and discard the stones (pits), then chop the dates finely. Mix together the dates and the liquid, the butter or margarine and the eggs until creamy. Fold in all the remaining cake ingredients. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 18 cm/7 in cake tin (pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 1 hour until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To make the icing, beat together all the ingredients until you have a spread able consistency, adding a little more orange juice or water if necessary. Slice the cake in half horizontally, sandwich the layers together with half the icing and spread the remainder on top.