Ingredients for cake

360g plain or wholemeal flour (I use a combination of both, you can also use self-raising gluten-free flour)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder*

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda*

1x pack of Inner Spice ‘Smooth Operator’ spice blend (or a combination of your own festive spices)

3x large eggs, cracked and stirred together

120ml maple syrup (or brown rice syrup or honey)

120ml olive oil, or other light oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 medium carrots, cleaned, peeled and grated

1 apple, cleaned, peeled and diced into small pieces

Small handful of dried dates, soaked in warm water then diced into small pieces

Handful of walnuts, lightly crushed

Ingredients for cashew ‘cream’ frosting

120g cashews, soaked in water for few hours and drained - retain a few tbsp of the soaking water

2 tbsp EVOO

2-3 tbsp maple, taste test for sweetness

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch of salt

*Not required if using self-raising flour.

Method for cake

1- Lightly oil a Bundt cake tin

2- In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, excluding the walnuts

3- Pre-heat oven to 170C

4- Then add the wet ingredients to the bowl, stirring through with a spatula until well combined

5- Stir in the walnuts and mix well

6- Pour batter into the Bundt cake tin

7- Put in the middle-shelf of your oven for 30 minutes, then move down to the bottom shelf for another 5-10 minutes

Ovens vary so keep a check on it!

In the meantime, make let’s make the frosting.

Method for cashew cream frosting

1- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until a smooth paste forms – add a few drops of the retained cashew water if required. You will need to push the mixture down the sides of the blender as you go.

2- Be patient, it can take 10 minutes or so to get a beautifully smooth texture.