You make this cake in a large bowl, so no need for a mixer! Makes 2 loaf cakes, 12 muffins or a large 8inch round sandwich cake....
Pre-heat oven to 170c or 150c fan
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 30 mins approx (check towards end of cooking time with a skewer to see if comes out clean
Ingredients
Cake
225 ml (8floz) sunflower oil
225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
4 medium eggs (3 large)
225g (8oz) self raising flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 tsp each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon and mixed spice
150g (5oz) sultanas
200g (7oz) carrots (peeled,top and tail and coarsley grated weight)
75g (3oz) walnuts (or pecans if preferred) **either get extra to top the cakes or save some back**
Icing
175g (6oz) butter softened in microwave on gentle heat but not melted
275g (10oz) full fat cream cheese at room temperature
1tsp vanilla essence
200g (7oz) icing sugar
Method
For the cakes:
Grease tins using a little extra sunflower oil and line with grease proof paper (or line tin with muffin cases if doing muffins).
** to line the tins with greaseproof paper, cut a rectangle larger than the loaf tin and cut diagonally in from the corners towards the centre enough to create corners to fit.
For a round cake tin cut a square larger than the cake tin, fold the paper in half then quarter and then take the folded long edge and fold to the outer edge then repeat to the shape below. 
Cut to just larger than the tin diameter as below. Then turn the scissors and slice from the wide end towards the pointed end a scissor length down middle. Open up and place in the greased tin.
Put oil, sugar and eggs in food processor or large bowl and beat until smooth.
Sieve flour and soda into the bowl or processor and add the spices then stir lightly to combine.
Add sultanas, grated carrot and nuts and stir in quickly without over doing it. You want to minimise the amount of stirring. Scrape mix into prepared tins or spoon into muffin cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hr (check after 50 mins with skewer) for the larger cakes or 30 mins for the individual muffins (check after 25 mins).
Take out of the oven when done and leave for 5 mins before turning out onto a cake tray or taking the individual muffins out of the tray.
Leave to cool.
Icing:
Make sure the butter and the soft cheese are both very soft before you begin otherwise you will get lumpy icing.
Beat the butter in a bowl and then beat in the cheese. Mix thoroughly until smooth. Add the vanilla extract.
Sieve over the icing about half first, then when stirred in, add the rest and mix until smooth. Place in the fridge if the cake is still hot, taking out 5 mins before you wish to put the icing on.
When ready to ice the cake spoon the mixture onto the round cakes, or if making a loaf, slice the loaf horizontally and make sure cold in the centre before you ice the middle. Gently place the upper half back and ice by spooning mixture on and using a fork, knife or palette knife to smooth. For individual muffins spoon a large teaspoon on each cake and swirl with a fork. Top the cakes with walnuts to your own design.
Keep in the fridge so the icing remains firm but take out an hour before serving to bring cake to room temp.
Enjoy!
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