Food with Passion: Spiced Carrot Cake
John Paul Kennedy is a self-taught cook and an avid fan of collecting cookery books with a passion for good old-fashioned home cooking.
His passion for proper family cooking stems from his Grandmothers, who were both excellent cooks, one of whom was a trained chef.
JP promises to bring us plenty of family-inspired recipes and tasty treats while showing us how to get the basics right.
Deliciously spiced carrot cake is one of my favourite cake recipes and one I am constantly requested to bake for family and colleagues at work.
The recipe is for a loaf cake but sometimes I make it as cupcakes that way everybody gets an individual sweet treat or a round celebration cake – depending on the occasion I’m baking it for.
I’m craving seasonal spiced desserts as we move into the midst of Autumn and this carrot cake, lightly kissed with spices and an indulgent orange flavoured cream cheese icing fits the bill perfectly.
You will not be able to resist licking the bowl used to make the icing – it’s incredible especially with the addition of grated orange zest.
I promise this is one recipe you will come back to over and over again!
Ingredients: (serves 6-8)
- 200g self- raising flour
- 220g light brown sugar
- 400g grated carrots (I blitz them in a food processor)
- 3 large eggs
- 140ml vegetable oil
- 100g chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb
- Pinch of sea salt
Icing:
- 300g cream cheese –(must be full fat)
- 300g icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and oil your loaf tin and line with baking parchment paper.
- Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl then add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrots and walnuts.
- Sift in all the remaining dry ingredients and mix together well using a wooden spoon or food mixer if you have one.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and place in the oven to bake for between an hour and an hour and 15 minutes – ovens do vary! Insert a metal skewer into the cake to check if it’s baked. Once it comes out clean your cake is baked! If you are making as individual cupcakes (batter will make 14 -16 cupcakes) bake for 25 minutes. If making in a round cake tin, bake for 40 -45 minutes.
- Allow to cool fully and prepare the icing. This icing is out of this world.
- Mix the icing sugar and cream cheese until well combined and there are no lumps. Then add the vanilla and grated orange zest and smear over your cake which is fully cooled by now. Decorate with walnut halves, cut a slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Sheer heaven on a plate.
You can of course omit the walnuts of you’re not a fan but I love the texture they give this cake.
The cake is light, fluffy and deliciously spiced. It’s quite a wet batter because of the oil instead of butter but don’t worry it’s meant to be.
The cake will last up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. If storing in the fridge take out about 15 minutes before you plan to eat it; to allow to come to room temperature.
It’s a really easy cake to make; merely a bit of measuring, little bit of prep and one I guarantee will fast become one of your favourite cakes to bake.
TAGS Life
