Transfer the soft butter, the brown sugar and the eggs to a large mixing bowl.

Then stir in the ground cinnamon, the ground ginger, the freshly grated carrots, the milk or cream, the poppy seeds and a pinch of salt.

Give these ingredients a good stir. Sieve the pastry flour and baking soda right above the bowl.

Then mix and stir all the ingredients well into a lumpy dark cake batter. Pour this cake batter in a buttered or oiled cake tin.

Then bake the carrot cake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked and set in the middle. Cover the cake with a sheet of tinfoil halfway through cooking time to prevent the top from burning. Once cooked, then remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool fully at room temperature in the cake tin. Spread the chilled cake with your choice of frosting. Then cut the cake into slices and serve.