Ingredients

• 1½ cups self-raising flour
• 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ½ cup skim milk
• ¾ cup prepared apple sauce
• 3 medium carrots (about 350 g), grated

Cream cheese frosting (optional):

• ½ cup light spreadable cream cheese
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Lightly grease a 20-cm round cake pan, and line the base with baking paper.
3. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda and spice into a large bowl (tip in husks from flour, too), and stir in sugar.
4. Make a well in the centre.
5. In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, milk and apple sauce using a fork, then add to flour mixture.
6. Stir gently until just combined, then stir in carrot.
7. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for about 70 minutes or until a skewer or knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
8. Leave in the pan for 5 minutes, before turning out on a wire rack to cool.
9. If frosting, wait until the cake is completely cool.
10. To make frosting, put cream cheese in a bowl and sift icing sugar over it.
11. Add lemon juice and stir until smooth.