Carrot Cake is one of the most well known bakes and it’s no wonder why. It’s packed fully of tasty flavours and different textures, and wrapped up in what has to be one of my favourite frostings ever – cream cheese buttercream. I could eat the stuff straight from the bowl! I thought it was about time I shared my favourite carrot cake recipe. As I’m not a huge fan of walnuts, I use pecans in my recipe, but of course if you like walnuts they can easily be swapped. To save time I use a food processor to grate my carrot, so if you have one with a grating attachment it’s a real time saver. Carrot cake is also a delicious way to use up leftover carrots!
Step by step…
I started by mixing both flours, the baking powder and bicarb, the mixed spice and the light brown sugar together in a large bowl. Then I added the vegetable oil, eggs, orange zest, orange juice and grated carrot.
I folded in the pecans and sultanas, and divided the mixture evenly between two lined and greased 8″ cake tins. After 35 minutes in the oven they were golden brown, I left them to cool on wire racks.
To make the frosting I mixed together the butter and icing sugar, then added the cream cheese and mixed until it was smooth.
I placed one of the sponges onto a cake stand and piped just less than half of the frosting over it. Then I topped it with the second sponge, then piped the remaining frosting on top. I decorated the carrot cake with fondant carrot shapes, orange zest and chopped pecans.
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
| 8″ cake tins | Mixing bowls | Cooling rack |
| Kitchen scales | Electric hand mixer | Round cake tin liners |
| Food processor | Piping bags | Jem 1E Piping nozzle |
| Citrus juicer | Zester |
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This carrot cake is absolutely delicious! The texture of the fruit and nut packed sponge pairs so well with the smooth cream cheese buttercream. It’s a dream combination and one that I am happy to enjoy on a regular basis!
More Carrot Cake recipes…
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| Carrot Cake Cookies | Autumn Vegetable Cake | Carrot Cake Baked Donuts (Vegan) |
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| Carrot Cake Cupcakes |
Carrot Cake
The classic cake with pecans and cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 200 g Self raising flour
- 115 g Wholemeal plain flour
- 265 g Light brown sugar
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tsp Mixed spice
- 325 g Carrots grated
- 265 g Vegetable oil
- 4 Eggs large
- 1 Orange zested and juiced
- 95 g Pecans chopped
- 95 g Sultanas
For the frosting
- 250 g Butter or baking spread
- 500 g Icing
- 200 g Full fat cream cheese
For decoration
- Fondant carrot decorations
- Orange zest
- 4 Pecans chopped
Instructions
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Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark, and grease and line two 8 inch sandwich tins
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In a large bowl, stir together both flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and light brown sugar
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Add the vegetable oil, eggs, orange zest, 2 tbsp of the orange juice and the grated carrot
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Mix in the pecans and sultanas
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Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins
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Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown and a thin skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove them from the tin and leave them to cool on wire racks
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To make the frosting mix together the butter and icing sugar using an electric hand mixer, then add the cream cheese and mix until smooth
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Place one of the sponges onto a plate or cake stand and spread or pipe just less than half of the frosting over it
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Top with the second sponge, then pipe or spread the remaining frosting on top
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Decorate with fondant carrot, orange zest and chopped pecans
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Store any remaining cake in the fridge for up to 3 days
Recipe Notes
Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing Cinnamon, Coriander Seed, Nutmeg, Clove, Pimento, Ginger. If you can't get hold of it, use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead
If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!
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What is there to say other than – absolutely gorgeous! I also like the fact that it has a healthy twist in the form of wholemeal flour and it’s made with oil, which I love in baking. Thank you for bringing your lovely creation to #CookBlogShare:)
Thank you so much Monika! I always like to add wholemeal flour to vegetable cake recipes, I feel like it belongs 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious! I love carrot cake!
Thank you!!
That has to be the loveliest carrot cake I’ve ever seen! And a bit healthier, too! Wow! Thanks for sharing this at Fiesta Friday!
Mollie
Wow thank you, that’s such a lovely compliment!
Wow your cake looks delicious! My daughter will eat them all at once! Why shouldn’t I try this carrot cake for her!! I have one question and that is what is the alternative to vegetable oil? Can I use Soybean oil instead of it?
Thank you! Yes I’m sure soybean oil will be a suitable replacement, but I’ve never heard of that kind of oil myself.
Wow Kat! What a stunning cake! I recall the first time I tried a slice of carrot cake many many years ago – I was in raptures about the cream cheese frosting! Delicious! Thankyou so much for sharing it with #BakingCrumbs (though how I wish it was in reality rather than virtually 😉 )
Angela x
I’m right there with you on cream cheese frosting, I adore it!!
Do you have a cupcake version of this carrot cake? For just 12 cupcakes?
Hi Kris, I don’t yet but I will add it to my list!
What a pretty cake! I would love a slice right now 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday!
Thank you Petra! I wish I could send you a slice!
your cakes always look so beautiful and make me feel hungry. My boys love Carrot cake so this would make them happy too. I love a cream cheese frosting myself, but my children do prefer icing! I blame school for this , because this is what the cook there uses plus added sprinkles! x
Thank you Jenny! I’m glad you have a house of carrot cake lovers!
Ahhh! This carrot cake looks so gorgeous!! Thanks a lot for sharing, Kat!
Thank you!
I need some carrot cake in my life! Yum x
Can we make self rasing flour at home?
Just use plain flour and add 2 more tsp of baking powder 🙂
Looks beautiful and delicious! I do some prep ahead meals but not that many. I think this is very worthwhile and nice to know you always have a meal on hand!
Fantastic recipe, Kat hasn’t let me down yet. Oil instead of butter seemed to add a lot kore moisture icing is fantastic. Had a bit left over to make cupcakes for the neighbours
Thank you as always x
Thanks so much Scott, I’m so pleased you enjoyed this recipe!