Desserts

Carrot cake

A moist spiced sponge with carrots and walnuts, finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

  • 70 min25 prep · 45 cook
  • MediumDifficulty
  • 620 kcalper serving

Ingredients

10 servings
  • Carrots, grated300 g
  • Plain flour250 g
  • Brown sugar200 g
  • Eggs3
  • Sunflower oil200 ml
  • Baking powder2 tsp
  • Ground cinnamon2 tsp
  • Walnuts, chopped80 g
  • Cream cheese, cold200 g
  • Butter, softened80 g
  • Icing sugar150 g
  • salt1 pinch

Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.

Steps

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a 22 cm round tin.

  2. 2

    Whisk the eggs with the brown sugar, then whisk in the oil.

  3. 3

    Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then fold in the carrots and walnuts.

  4. 4

    Pour into the tin and bake until a skewer comes out clean.

  5. 5

    Let the cake cool completely on a rack.

  6. 6

    Beat the butter with the icing sugar, then beat in the cold cream cheese just until smooth.

  7. 7

    Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and decorate with a few walnuts.

Tips and questions
Why is my frosting runny?
Use full-fat cream cheese straight from the fridge and don’t overbeat it; beat the butter and icing sugar first, then add the cheese briefly.
Can I freeze it?
The unfrosted sponge freezes well for 3 months, wrapped in film. Frost it once thawed; frosted, it keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Can I make it without nuts?
Yes, just leave them out or use raisins instead; the cake stays just as moist thanks to the carrot and oil.

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