Carrot cake

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 1 hour 00 min Total time: 1 hour 20 min (serves 8) INGREDIENTS 375g gluten-free all-purpose flour 400g caster sugar 1 tsp salt 5/8 tsp xantham gum powder (about 1/2 tsp and 2 pinches) 2 tsp cinnamon powder 1 cup oil 1/4 cup melted butter 4 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup crushed pineapple 1/2 cup walnuts 1/2 cup desiccated coconut PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 2 round 23cm cake tins and dust with gluten-free flour. 2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, xantham gum powder and cinnamon powder. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, mix oil, melted butter, eggs and vanilla. 4. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in carrots, pineapple, walnuts and coconut until thoroughly combined. 5. Pour the mixture into the cake tins and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.Cool for around 10 minutes, remove from the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely. 6. To decorate, layer and cover cakes with cream cheese frosting, roll sides in chopped nuts and decorate with marzipan carrots. Recipe by Chef Emmanuel Santos, Sweet Lane, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, from gulfnews photo/credit Stefan Lindeque/ANM