carrot cake
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Cumbrian Carrot Cake

Who doesn’t love carrot cake! Carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene and they also contain lutein which is an antioxidant. Our Laid With Love eggs also containing lutein, so carrot cake is the perfect recipe to take on board some extra goodness. 
search Cakes and Bakes, Cumbria
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10
Author Adapted from BBC Good Food - Cassie Best

Ingredients

  • 230 ml vegetable oil plus extra for the tin
  • 100 g natural yogurt
  • 4 large fee range eggs
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ orange zested
  • 265 g self-raising flour
  • 335 g light muscovado sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ fresh nutmeg finely grated
  • Pinch of salt
  • 265 g carrots about 3, grated
  • 100 g sultanas or raisins
  • 100 g walnuts or pecans roughly chopped (optional)

For the icing

  • 100 g slightly salted butter softened
  • 300 g icing sugar
  • 100 g soft cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment.
  • Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and orange zest in a jug. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg along with a pinch of salt.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, (if using). Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.
  • Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.
  • To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together, then when smooth, add half the soft cheese and beat again. You can now add the rest a little at a time to stop it splitting.
  • Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts/pecans.

Notes

This cake just gets better with time – even just one day, so it’s ideal to bake ahead, and it keeps in the fridge too (4-5 days). We think it is best at room temperature so remember to take it out of the fridge in time