Name: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 175 g brown sugar; 2 eggs; 2/3 cup oil; 175 g wholemeal plain flour; 3 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; 1 orange (zest finely grated); 200 g grated carrot; 225 g cream cheese; 110 g butter (softened); 225 g icing sugar; 1 tsp vanilla essence

We love carrot cake, so when we had a lot of carrots that needed to be used, I decided to bake a carrot cake. This carrot cake with cream cheese icing was moist and delicious.

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Make the Carrot Cake Batter

This delicious cake is made by whisking the oil, sugar and eggs in one bowl, and whisking the flour, baking powder, and spices in another bowl.

Then, very carefully, fold the dry ingredients into the oil and egg mixture.

Add the orange zest and grated carrot and mix carefully, making sure the carrot is mixed throughout the whole cake batter.

Spread the cake batter between two 20cm round cake tins that have been lined with baking paper.

Bake at 190˚C for 30 – 35 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and a skewer, when inserted, comes out clean.

Let cool in the tin for a couple of minutes, before removing and cooling completely on a cooling rack. Once the cake is cooled, then it is ready to be iced.

Cream Cheese Icing

To make the yummy, but not-to-sweet icing that goes perfectly with this cake, you will need softened cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Beat the cream cheese and the butter together until they are light and fluffy.

Carefully beat in the icing sugar, a little at a time so that it doesn’t create a powdery mess.

Add in the vanilla and beat until mixed through.

Use a third of the icing to sandwich the two cakes together and the rest to decorate the top and sides of the cake.

Sprinkle with a little nutmeg. You could also add a few chopped nuts to the top of the cake for decoration.

Storing

Due to the cream cheese icing, you will need to store this cake in the fridge for around 5 to 6 days.

Cupcakes or a single-layer cake?

This amazing recipe can absolutely be used to make cupcakes instead of a two-layer cake. You won’t need to bake them as long, try around 15 to 18 minutes, then test to see if a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let them cool a little before removing and cooling completely on a cooling rack. You should be able to get around 24 cupcakes from this recipe. Once cooled, ice with the cream cheese icing.

You can also make one single layer cake with this recipe, though you will need to add more time when baking – around 10 – 12 minutes. Make sure that you have a pan with large sides so that it does not overflow. This recipe could also be made into a slice, in a large slice tray with high sides. Again, the baking time will need to be adjusted. Once cooled, ice with the cream cheese icing.

Adjustments

Oil – Though we haven’t tried, you should be able to swap out some of the oil for applesauce or even mashed bananas.

Additions

You could also try adding one cup of pineapple – fresh or tinned with the juice drained.
You could add raisins, desiccated coconut, pecans or walnuts to this recipe for a different taste. Stick to no more than 1 cup of add ins.

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