Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase anything through these links, I will receive a commission, at no cost to you.
Carrot cake of course! With sweet notes of cinnamon, juicy orange and a sharp tang of cream cheese in the frosting. All these flavours come together to make a one of the tastiest cakes you'll ever have.
This recipe is so very simple and uses very little equipment. I prefer to use a processor to grate the carrots but if you want to grate them by hand it can give a coarser texture which some people prefer. Other than that you just need a deep cake tin, a bowl and a wooden spoon. Read on for how to make this deliciously popular cake.
Makes: 8-10 slices
Total time: 1.5 hrs (not incl cooling)
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
450ml sunflower oil
400g plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
550g caster sugar
5 eggs
Pinch of salt
2½ tsp cinnamon
525g carrots, peeled and grated
Zest of 1 orange (optional)
For the cream cheese frosting:
270g full fat cream cheese
70g butter
290g icing sugar
½ tsp orange extract (optional)
METHOD
For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 160℃ fan/350℉/Gas 4
• Grease and line (including the sides) an 8” (20cm) deep cake tin.
• Mix all ingredients except the carrots, in a bowl with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the grated carrots.
• Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before taking out of the tin and leaving on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
To decorate:
• To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then ice however you wish!
• Use orange and green fondant icing to make carrots. You can do this by hand or use a fondant mould. If using a mould just fill and pop in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
VARIATIONS
1. Add the zest of one orange to the mix and ½ tsp of orange extract to the icing.
2. Add raisins and/or walnuts to the mix to give some extra levels of texture and flavour. About 150g of either will work well.
TOP TIP
Use a food processor to grate the carrots if you have one, it’s so much quicker and
saves the orange fingers!
For more simple recipes why not order my e-book here.
All original imagery by Craig Ballinger Photography.