Carrot and ginger cake with orange ginger drizzle

Today is the funeral of my dear friend and first love, Will.  After the service we're all gathering for tea and cake, and so this is one of my contributions - a comforting carrot and fresh ginger loaf cake with a lovely orange and gingery drizzle. 

Ingredients

2 eggs

5oz caster sugar
2 ½ oz butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 small carrots, coarsely grated

1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

7oz self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

3oz ground almonds

2 tbsp sultanas

For the drizzle

Juice of 1 orange

4 tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp  ground ginger

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Melt the butter and use a little of it to grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf tin (leave the rest aside to cool - use the time to grate the carrot, ginger and orange zest).
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar, then add the (cooled) melted butter and vanilla, and beat well.
3. Add the grated carrot, ginger and orange zest, and mix well.
4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, add the ground almonds and mix well.
5. Stir in the sultanas.
6. Pour into the tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Meanwhile, make the drizzle by dissolving the sugar and ginger in the orange juice in a small saucepan over a medium heat.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and prick all over with a skewer, then drizzle the orange juice mix over the cake.
9. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.