Carrot Cake

I cannot believe it’s taken me so long to produce a carrot cake recipe for Food&FitnessAlways, especially considering it’s my favourite type of cake! When cooked right, this cake’s taste goes to a whole new level, with the combination of walnuts, raisins and baked carrot, topped off with a delicious buttercream finish. 

If I was hosting a dinner party and I had the choice between receiving a typical bottle of wine or a carrot cake, hands down the carrot cake would win (although sharing it out with my guests is another story!). 

I hope you and, whoever you choose to share this with, enjoy this deliciously fruity and moist carrot cake. After all, you deserve a reward once every so often 😛

Serves 12-14    |    20 Minutes Prep   |   45 Minutes Baking

250g Self-Raising Flour
3 teaspoons Ground Mixed Spice
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Table Salt

300g Unsalted Butter
Zest of 1 Orange
300g Golden Caster Sugar
6 Eggs

2 Large Carrots (finely grated)
100g Raisins
100g Walnuts (chopped)

The Vanilla Buttercream
160g Unsalted Butter
500g Icing Sugar
50ml Whole Milk
4-5 drops of Vanilla Extract

Sift the flower, mixed spice and baking powder into a mixing bowl, along with the salt and leave to one-side.

In a separate large mixing bowl add the butter and orange zest. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream together these ingredients, then add the sugar.

Pre-heat the oven to 160C (fan-assisted).

Add one egg at a time to the creamed ingredients along with a teaspoon of the flour mix, and using a metal spoon carefully fold together. Once combined, add a second egg and teaspoon of flour mix and repeat until all of the eggs have been incorporated.

When all eggs are combined, add the remaining flour mix, along with the carrot, raisins and walnuts then combine well.

Using a spatula, pour the mixture into two, lightly-greased, 20cm cake tins. Ensure the mixture is smoothed evenly across the cake tin.

Bake in the oven on the same shelf for 45 minutes, or until there is a slight spring when the cakes are lightly pressed.

Once the cakes are removed from the oven, leave them for 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to fully cool. Only apply the buttercream frosting once the cakes have fully cooled, however this can still be made in the meantime.

To make the vanilla buttercream beat the icing sugar and butter together using a wooden spoon to begin with, then once combined you can use an electric whisk on a medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well-mixed. 

Combine the milk and vanilla extract, then add to the mixture a few spoonfuls at a time and continue to whisk for a further 5 minutes. Taste and adjust if required.

Add the buttercream to each sponge top and carefully place one sponge on top of the other and leave to set. Sprinkle some extra chopped walnuts on top for a garnish.