Autumn Eats: Carrot Cake

Carrots

Celebrate Easter with this warmly spiced carrot cake, using fresh, vibrant carrots together with cinnamon and nuts and a smooth vanilla cream cheese topping.

Easter Carrot Cake

Serves 8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of finely shredded carrots 
• 150 gms unsalted butter
• 350 gms plain flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ¼  teaspoon ground allspice 
• 400 gms of light brown sugar (see note)
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 cup of pureed apple or apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 
• 100 gms chopped walnuts and pistachios (plus extra for decorating)

Cream cheese icing:

• 500 grams of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 250 grams unsalted butter, softened to room temperature  
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste 
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ¼  teaspoon of salt
• 600 gms of pure icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over medium heat until browned, taking care not to burn - the butter should be a caramel brown. Set aside to cool.

Whisk or sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the butter, eggs, and sugar until combined. Then add the apple, carrots, and vanilla paste. 

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Divide the cake batter evenly to the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven. A skewer through the centre will let you know if the cake is cooked through after this time. 

Cool completely on a wire rack. 

For the icing, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and sugar until smooth. 

Once the cake has cooled, spread icing on top of one evenly in a thick layer, then add second cake on top. 

Spread the remaining icing over the top of the cake and down the sides, use a spatula or butter knife to evenly spread this over the cake. 

Press the remaining chopped walnuts and pistachios into the slides of the icing to decorate.

Notes

• You can use dark brown sugar, this will result in a more fudgey cake.