Carrot Cake with Orange Frosting

by Lou Robbie

Classic carrot cake is hard to beat. Its spiced and moist and works so well with the cream cheese frosting. No one minds that theres a couple of carrots in there. It’s the acceptable vegetable cake.

Set a few carrots aside this week to make this cake the perfect partner with a pot of tea and a good old chat.

Tip: I like to soak the raisins in tea first to plump them up, it really makes a difference to the finished cake.

Lou 🙂

  • 75g raisins and 1 teabag
  • 225g plain flour
  • 125g castor sugar
  • 115g dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice or ground nutmeg/ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 200g grated carrot
  • 1 orange – zest only
  • 3 eggs
  • 100ml light flavoured oil (sunflower or vegetable)
  • (I have chosen not to add walnuts to my cake but add 75g of chopped walnuts if you wish)
  • For the frosting:
  • 225g icing sugar
  • 75g cream cheese – chilled
  • 1 orange- zest and 2 teaspoons of juice
  • 100g walnuts

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven 160C.
  2. Prepare a 9inch loose bottomed cake tin with a light coating of oil and line with parchment paper.
  3. Add the raisins to a bowl with the teabag, cover with boiling water and infuse for 30 minutes then strain and discard the teabag.
  4. To a mixing bowl sieve in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, both spices, white sugar.
  5. Mix in the brown sugar, grated carrot, raisins and orange zest (and chopped walnuts if using) give everything a really good mix.
  6. Measure the oil and eggs into a jug, whisk well.
  7. Add the oil and eggs into the mixing bowl, and stir until combined.
  8. Pour the cake mix into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.
  9. Cool completely before adding the frosting.
  10. For the frosting: Toast the walnuts in the oven for 10 minutes at 160C, keep a close eye on them, cool completely.
  11. Add the icing sugar and cream cheese to a bowl. Use an electric hand beater to blend until really smooth. Fold in the orange zest and orange juice.
  12. Smooth onto the top of the cake. Scatter walnuts on top and serve with tea.