Go Back
Carrot Cake
Print Recipe

Carrot Cake

A recipe for the perfect carrot cake with an easy and delicious cream cheese frosting
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Frosting30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Baking
Keyword: Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Servings: 1 cake
Author: Sam Linsell

Ingredients

  • 1 c pecan nuts, toasted and finely chopped
  • 200 g dark brown sugar such as demerara or muscovado
  • 100 g white granulated sugar
  • 4 large free-range eggs
  • 250 ml vegetable oil such as sunflower or canola
  • 1 t vanilla extract or essence
  • 250 ml crushed pineapple drained from tin (432g tin)
  • 500 ml grated carrots (half finely grated and half coarsely)
  • ½ c raisins or sultanas presoaked in boiling water and then drained
  • 2½ c cake or all-purpose flour I used 2 cups of flour and ½ a cup of dessiccated coconut
  • 3 t mixed spice
  • ½ t cinnamon
  • ½ t ground ginger
  • 1 t salt
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1 t bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

Cream Cheese Frosting (Nomu recipe)

  • 60 g butter, softened
  • 250 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature Preferably a brick-shaped type like Lancewood
  • 185 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice
  • 50 g pecan nuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped to decorate (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 150°C and spread the pecan nuts on a baking tray. Roast for 7 – 8 minutes until toasted. Allow to cool.
  • Turn the oven up to 180°C and line 2 x 23cm springform cake tins with baking paper. I spray the tins and the baking paper with non-stick spray as well.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the two sugars with the eggs, until fluffy. Add the oil and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well combined.
  • Fold through the drained crushed pineapple, grated carrots and drained raisins until well mixed.
  • In a separate bowl, sieve all the dry ingredients and then fold this through the wet cake batter until well incorporated.
  • Divide the batter equally between the two cake pans and bake for 30 – 40 minutes. The cake is done when a sharp knife is inserted into the middle and comes out clean. Loosely cover the cakes with tin foil for about 25 minutes if necessary to prevent over-browning.
  • Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a cooling rack. They should be completely cool before icing/frosting them.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter until very pale and creamy.
  • Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until smooth.
  • Add the icing sugar and beat for a few more minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  • Add the orange/lemon juice and mix through.
  • Generously frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with the chopped pecan nuts.