How to make a Date, Carrot & Walnut Cake

It's school holidays here.

My favourite time.

Sleeping past alarms, breakfast at lunchtime and a revolving door of people coming and going.

I like to have a cake baked to offer with coffee when friends drop by.

Yesterday I baked a carrot and walnut cake and although it was delicious it wasn't as moist and fluffy as I would have hoped. I used this recipe.
Although I have to admit that any cake slathered in Cream Cheese frosting has to be a winner to some degree right?

Today I made up my own recipe and unbelievably it worked ( I am a pretty intuitive cook with savoury food but I am not usually as successful with baking- soooo many rules!)

It turned out exactly as I wanted yesterdays attempt to.

So happy.

Even better as it is a one bowl wonder- the BEST kind.

I hope you make it and love it as much as I do!

It will definitely be getting made again.

DATE, CARROT & WALNUT CAKE:
I loved the amount of walnuts in yesterdays cake - they add delicious bite- but it needed extra fluff and moisture and the dates are what provided that.
I also snuck in some shredded coconut for a bit of added texture and bite. 
I am also a big fan of cakes that use olive oil. I only had extra virgin in the pantry - I was worried that the flavour might ruin the cake but there was no hint of it.
A very forgiving cake it seems!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup chopped dates

3 grated carrots

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 eggs
3/4 cup oil

1 cup SR flour

3/4 cup raw sugar

1 tsp Bi carb

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

150g cream cheese

130g icing sugar

50g butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest & juice of a lemon

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 175C.

Place all ingredients in bowl, mix through & place into greased and lined 23cm springform tin.

Place in oven for an hour or until skewer comes out clean.

Let completely cool before spreading cream cheese frosting.(made by mixing icing sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, lemon zest & juice together).

This song is getting a lot of airplay in our kitchen by my big kids at the moment.
Also.....look out for the Pikachu plane- I didn't even know that existed!
HOW AWESOME!!! *faints*