The classics of cakes has to be a Carrot Cake; it is incredibly moist, easy to make, versatile and delicious. It's the sort of carrot cake everyone eats when growing up, its either made as a sheet cake or if you want to fancy it up, make a round layered cake with cream cheese frosting. 

You don't need a lot of equipment to make it. You can use a handheld whisker or a freestanding mixer, and 2x round 9inch cake tins, lined with parchment paper. 

Ingredients:

  • 250g plain flour - sieved
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 180ml vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs - room temperature
  • 300g light brown sugar
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 125g unsweetened applesauce (or 120g sour cream or plain greek yoghurt)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract/vanilla bean seeds
  • 300g grated carrot

For the cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

  • 226g full fat cream cheese
  • 115g unsalted butter - softened at room temperature
  • 240g icing sugar - sieved
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 177˚C Fan/Gas mark 4. Line 2 round 9-inch tins with parchment paper. 
  2. In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Add the grated carrot and mix until all is thoroughly combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a whisk or a marise (rubber spatula). Do not overmix the batter, mix enough, so there are no dry ingredients left on the sides or underneath the bowl.
  5. Pour the mixture into the tins evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the middle of the cakes by inserting a knife into the centre of the cake; it should come out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow cooling in the cake tins for 25 minutes.
  6. Remove from the cake tins and allow to cool completely on the cooling rack.

Cream cheese frosting

Method:

  1. In a freestanding mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese. Add the butter and beat for 1 minute. All should be smooth and well-combined together. 
  2. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until all is combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and underneath too.

Assemble the cake:

  1. Level the tops of the cake, you can use a serrated knife (aka bread knife) or a cake leveller if you have one. You want to take a little bit off, and be careful as the cake will be moist. 
  2. Spread a little bit of the cream cheese frosting on a cake board, place one cake on top. Top with half of the filling and smooth out using a palette knife. It doesn't need to be even; you can be as rustic or even as you want to be.
  3. Place the last cake on top and frost the top and sides using a palette knife. 
  4. Top with sugarpaste carrots or walnuts. Whatever you want. You can even crumb the cake scraps and line the edges of the cake.

Carrot cake is perfect with a cuppa tea or coffee. You can also amp up your cream cheese frosting, by adding lime extract or lime zest. 

If you don't want to make a cake, this recipe also makes 24 cupcakes, or you can halve it to make 12—Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at the same temperature. Pipe the cream cheese frosting on top, you can also decorate it with lime zest and the sugarpaste carrots. 

Carrot cake is best eaten on the day its made. As it contains cream cheese frosting, please consume within three days. Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool cupboard. The cake should never be stored in the refrigerator. 

If you make the carrot cake, please share your pictures with us on our social media channels, be sure to tag us, and we will share on our stories :) 

Slice of homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting on plate on gray stone table background