Squidgy carrot and courgette cake

• 150g butter
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 340g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 rounded tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1 rounded tsp ground ginger
• 225g light muscovado or soft brown sugar
• 200g British organic carrots, peeled and grated
• 150g courgettes, grated

For the frosting:

• 200g low-fat soft cheese
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 small organic carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp. light muscovado or soft brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin with baking paper, using a little butter.

Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, without letting it get too hot.

Remove from the heat, then add the orange juice and beaten eggs. Reserve the orange zest for the frosting.

Sift together the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and ground ginger in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, organic carrots and courgettes, then add the melted mixture and stir together well.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out carefully. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting by beating the low-fat soft cheese, vanilla extract and reserved orange zest together. Spread on top of the cooled cake. Put the grated organic carrot into a frying pan with the sugar and heat gently to melt and caramelise. Cool, then scatter over the cake.

Tip: keep the cake refrigerated, though serve at room temperature. You can freeze the cake for up to 2 months without the frosting.