Carrot Cake Recipe
Indulge in the ultimate carrot cake experience with this easy-to-follow recipe, guaranteed to bring a touch of sweetness to any gathering.
Servings 16 slices
Calories 462kcal
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- 225 grams self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 240 milliliters vegetable oil (or sunflower oil)
- 300 grams packed light muscovado sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 240 grams grated carrots (from 3 to 4 large of carrots)
- 90 grams chopped pecans or walnuts
Frosting:
- 125 grams cream cheese room temperature
- 125 grams unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 grams icing sugar
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan. Grease two 20cm cake tins and line with nonstick baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until mostly combined. Stir in the carrots and pecans. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the center is springy when pressed or a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove, peel off the paper, and cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Frosting:
- Combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until combined and fluffy.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread half of the icing on top of the cake. Place the other layer on top and spread the remaining half of the icing over the top. Sprinkle with more pecans or walnut, if desired. Cover and refrigerate leftover cake for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature: For the best texture and blending, ensure ingredients like eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature before mixing.
- Do not overmix the batter: After adding flour to the mix, stir until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Grate carrots finely: For a more uniform and moist cake, grate the carrots as finely as you can on a box grater. This ensures even distribution throughout the batter and prevents large chunks.
- Cool completely before frosting: To prevent the frosting from melting, ensure your cakes are completely cool before applying frosting.
- Use cream cheese: Regular cream cheese will make the best-textured frosting. If you use soft cheese, it is a good idea to whip both it and butter well before making the frosting so that they are smooth and well combined. You may also need to add more icing sugar, up to 400 grams, to stiffen up the frosting.
- Experiment with spices: While cinnamon is standard, feel free to experiment with nutmeg, ginger, or cloves to adjust the flavour to your preference.
- Try orange zest: If you want a little extra flavour, add the zest of half an orange to the batter and the other half into the cream cheese icing.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 2860IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
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