Carrot cake is a rich and decadent cake with plenty of flavour! The combination of the soft nutty base and the beautifully thick cream cheese icing makes it almost impossible to only have one slice!
A really good carrot cake is not easily forgotten, it should be perfectly moist, and topped with a thick coating of sweet icing and crunchy walnuts.
Carrot cake is usually associated with Easter and springtime but that shouldn’t stop you from making it any time you want.
A carrot cake isn’t complete without its thick and dense icing. We have added some orange zest for flavour. As the icing is heavy the cake base should be as light as possible to balance the texture. It needs to be packed full of carrots, walnuts and seasoned with a good dash of cinnamon!
When it comes to decorations its really up to you! In our recipe, we have chosen to thickly ice the top and we have used whole walnuts as decoration but you can use chopped walnuts, orange peel or even make little candied carrots.
Firstly preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Line the bottom of a cake tin with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter and dust with flour.
Whisk together vegetable oil and sugar.
Add egg yolks to the bowl and whisk.
Add walnuts, carrots and lemon juice and mix thoroughly with a spatula.
Sift plain flour into the bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and the cinnamon. Mix until completely combined.
In a large bowl whisk egg whites into firm peaks.
Gently fold egg whites into the mixture with a silicone spatula.
Transfer the mixture to the lined and greased cake tin with a spatula.
Place cake tin in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
While the cake is baking you can make the icing. Whisk butter, cream cheese, icing sugar and the zest until completely combined.
Once combined, transfer the icing to a bowl and place in the fridge until needed.
After 45 minutes the cake should be ready. Remove it from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
Once the cake is completely cool remove the icing from the fridge, spread evenly over the top and decorate with walnuts.
