Manuka Honey, Carrot & Zucchini Cake

INGREDIENTS:

3 Cups plain Flour
½ Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Manuka Honey MGO 30
Good pinch Salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
4 Eggs
1 ½ Cups vegetable Oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ Cup grated Carrot
¼ Cup grated Zucchini
 1 cup Chopped almonds or nuts of your choice (Optional for decoration)

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup softened Cream cheese
½ cup softened Butter
3 cups sifted Icing Sugar Mixture
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:
1.  Preheat oven to 180C.  Line two round 23 cm cake tins with baking paper and spray the sides with oil or grease with butter.
2.  Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a bowl and in another bowl combine the vegetable oil, eggs, honey, vanilla extract grated carrot & zucchini.  Pour into the flour mix and stir well until combined.
3.  Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.  Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans before placing on a wire rack to completely cool.

FROSTING:

1. Beat the butter in an electric mixer on medium until soft and creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat on low speed for 1 minute.  Add the Vanilla and lemon juice and mix well.  Slowly add the icing sugar and mix until combined.   If the frosting is not stiff enough to pipe, add a little more icing sugar.
   2.  Spread a thick layer of frosting between the 2 cakes and add some more to the top.  Pipe some swirls around the edge of the cake and fill in the middle of the top of the cake with chopped nuts.