A good carrot cake will always be a hit. It’s moist, has a natural sweetness that appeals to just about anyone and suits most occasions. This classic recipe is easy to make, with the cake, icing and finishing touches all coming together in just 7 steps. So you could have a delicious carrot cake ready to eat in just over an hour.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 20cm round cake tin with cooking oil spray. Line base and side with baking paper.
Put carrot, sugar, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a plastic spatula until combined.
Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a second large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour carrot mixture into flour mixture and gently stir until well combined. Stir in walnuts. Spoon mixture into prepared tin.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Set aside to cool in tin for 5 minutes. Turn cake out, then transfer to a wire rack right-side up to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make cream cheese icing, put cheese and butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high, using paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, then add icing sugar. Beat until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until fluffy.
Spoon icing onto cooled cake and spread evenly over top and side.
Push extra chopped walnuts into icing on side of cake to decorate. Serve.
Looking for bakeware? Check out the collection on the Better Homes and Gardens shop.
How is carrot cake different from regular cake?
Carrot cake can seem different to some people because it uses a vegetable (carrot), rather that fruit, chocolate or other ingredients typically considered “sweet”.
It’s also sometimes considered healthier than other traditional cakes, such as sponge cake or chocolate cake, because it uses grated carrot as a key ingredient. But, just like any food, moderation is still important.
Why is carrot cake so moist?
Carrots have high water content levels of around 80-89%, which makes them naturally moist. The vegetable oil and eggs in this recipe also help keep moisture in the batter while it cooks, leading to a deliciously moist carrot cake.
Why use oil instead of butter?
Using oil instead of butter helps ensure the cake is moist once it is cooked because there is no water content in oil that could evaporate. In comparison, butter has water content levels of around 10-19%, which means some moisture could be lost when it’s used. But there are plenty of different cake recipes that call for butter – it’s all about the mix of ingredients and the method for each recipe.
Want to spice things up after making this easy carrot cake recipe? Check out our delicious carrot cake recipe collection.
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