Best Ever Carrot Cake
Servings: 16 slices
This amazing carrot cake is perfect for Easter or anytime of year! With its outstanding balance of sweetness and spice flavours, moist crumb, and velvety cream cheese frosting, this is truly the best carrot cake ever!
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 80 g raisins (or dried cranberries, optional)
- 280 g plain or all-purpose flour
- 50 g shredded coconut
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 80 g chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 350 g carrots (fresh finely grated )
- 240 g apple (grated, 2-3)
- 170 g neutral-tasting oil (vegetable or sunflower oil)
- 120 g caster sugar
- 160 g light brown sugar
- half the juice and zest of an organic lemon (optional)
- 4 medium eggs (200g total)
Cream Cheese frosting
- 400 g cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 200 g butter (at room temperature)
- 600-800 g icing sugar (US powdered sugar)
- 1 pod of vanilla or ¼ tsp pure vanilla paste (optional)
Decoration
- 160 g chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F / gas 5. Line the base of three 20cm (8") or two 23cm (10") cake pans with a circle of parchment paper and spray the sides with oil spray. Alternatively you can line the sides with parchment also.
- Next, place the raisins in a small heat-proof bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover them. Place aside until needed.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.Fold the grated carrots, apples and chopped pecans in until just combined.
- In another bowl, whisk the sugars, lemon and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother.
- Drain the raisins from the water and add them with the other wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk carefully to combine. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Baking: Divide the batter into the lined cake pans. Bake for 35-38 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes and then carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool further. (At this point, the cakes can be frozen for up to 2 months; defrost in the fridge before frosting.)
- Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until well combined and smooth. Alternatively use an electric mixer, either hand-held or standing to make it easier. Add about half of the icing sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Then add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until well combined. Add the remaining sugar until the desired consistency is achieved and it is well combined and silky smooth. For more details and tips, check out my cream cheese frosting recipe.
- Assembly: Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round. Frost the top of the first cake. Add the second cake and repeat with another layer of frosting. Top with the final layer of cake. Use the remaining frosting to coat around the sides and on top of the cake, smoothing everything out with a cake scraper. It doesn't have to be perfect! Decorate as you like while the frosting is soft. I used toasted pecans and candied carrot curls.
- Then remove the cake from the fridge about 1-2 hours before serving to bring it back to room temperature.
Notes & Tips
Cover leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
