Make a classic carrot cake with the help of your trusty air fryer. Top with soft cheese icing and crushed pecans, then kick back and enjoy with a cup of tea
Prep:25 mins
Serves 8
150ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin175g self-raising flour½tsp ground cinnamonnutmeg, for grating200g light brown soft sugar1 tsp vanilla extract2 eggs100g pecans, roughly chopped150g carrots (around 2), grated50g raisins
STEP 1First, make the icing. Combine the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and beat together until smooth. Beat in half the soft cheese. Once fully combined, beat in the remaining half. Set aside in the fridge.STEP 2Heat the air-fryer to 160C. Oil and line a 20cm cake tin or 1 litre loaf tin – you need to choose a cake tin that fits in your air-fryer.STEP 3Tip the flour, cinnamon, a good grating of nutmeg and sugar into a bowl and mix to combine. Break up any clumps of sugar with your fingers. Set aside. Combine the oil, vanilla and eggs in another bowl or jug, then mix into the dry ingredients. Fold in most of the chopped pecans (reserving some to decorate with later), the carrots and raisins, then pour into your prepared cake tin. Bake in the air-fryer for 25-45 mins depending on which cake tin you’ve used (25 mins for the round cake tin), checking after 15 mins. If the top begins to brown too much, cover the cake with foil.STEP 4To check the cake is ready, insert a skewer into the centre – it should come out clean. If not, cook for another few minutes and check again. Leave to cool for 15 mins, then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack for around 45 mins. Spread the icing over the top, grate over a little more nutmeg, if you like, and decorate with the remaining pecans.
