Spicy, sweet and aromatic, this is a carrot cake with a Scandi difference

There is not much to say about this cake other than that it is my favourite.

This is an edited extract from Modern Nordic by Simon Bajada (Hardie Grant, $50). Photography by Simon Bajada

There is not much to say about this cake other than that it is my favourite.

Try too my other Modern Nordic recipes: mussels with dill, apple and burnt butter, and my flaked salmon burger with parsnip fries.

The cardamom makes it. The icing is also a plus.

Simon Bajada.

Ingredients

• 225ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
• 310g caster sugar
• 170g grated carrot
• 3 eggs
• 240g plain flour
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 40g chopped walnuts

For the icing

• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g cream cheese
• 180g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Using an electric whisk on its highest setting, beat the oil and sugar together in a large mixing bowl for about 5 minutes, until white. Keep beating while you add the carrot and the eggs, one at a time.
2. Next add the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Mix for a few minutes, then stir in the walnuts with a spatula.
3. Grease a 23cm round cake tin and pour in the batter. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
4. Leave to cool in its tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
5. While the cake is cooling, make the icing by beating together all the ingredients until smooth. Ensure the cake is completely cool before spreading over the icing.

Serves 6-8