Carrot cake with Vermont Maple frosting

Carrot cake with Vermont Maple frosting

Ingredients

180 ml of Dark Vermont Maple syrup
80 ml tahini
140 ml applesauce
240 g carrots, coarsely grated
210 g flour 
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
a pinch of salt

Frosting

80 g cream cheese at room temperature
20 g unsalted butter at room temperature
80 g powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease a 20 cm/9 in loaf tin with a little vegetable oil.

2. In a large bowl mix together maple syrup and tahini until smooth. Mix in apple sauce.
3. Next, add grated carrots.
4. Place a sieve over the bowl containing the wet ingredients and sift all dry ingredients through it. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until incorporated.
5. Transfer the batter to the baking tin. Bake for 45 mins or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing it from the tin. 
6. Add cream cheese and butter to a bowl and beat until smooth with a mixer or by hand. Add powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract.  Mix at low speed, then increase for 3 minutes until completely combined and smooth. Frosting should be soft, but not runny. If too thin, add more confectioner's sugar, a little milk if too thick, a pinch of salt if too sweet. 
7. Ice the top of the cake and stud with nuts.