Ingredients

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For the Cake:

2 English breakfast tea bags

¼ cup boiling water

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 ¾ cups light muscovado sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

3 to 3 ¼ cups grated carrots

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For the Frosting:

⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 ½ cups cream cheese (12 oz)

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8 to 12 Walnut halves, to decorate

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease two 8-in round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2. To make the cake, add the tea bags to a mug of boiling water and let them steep for 5 minutes before discarding the bags. In a large bowl, whisk together the flower, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and cardamom. Set aside

3. In a separate bowl, add the muscovado, sugar, eggs and tea, mixing until combined before stirring in the oil. Tip in the carrots and fold them in so they're evenly distributed. Fold the flour mixture until just Incorporated, making sure there are no pockets of flour hiding near the bottom.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cakes are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, then turn them onto a rack.

5. To make the frosting, beat the butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until pale and smooth. Be in the cream cheese until combined.

6. To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake stand. Smooth ⅓ of the frosting on top and push right to the edges. Place the second cake top side down. In order to give you a flat top, add the rest of the frosting, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula. Scatter the walnuts on top of the cake.