Classic carrot cake with cream cheese icing

When it comes to home baking, you can’t go past a classic carrot cake.

Deliciously moist and lightly spiced, this cake will become your go-to for afternoon teas, picnics, and lunchbox treats.

Combining the natural sweetness of carrots, some crunch from the pecan nuts, and a decadent cream cheese frosting, this carrot cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Cake

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 ½ cups plain flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 ½ cups grated carrot (approx. 3 large carrots)

1 ½ cups chopped pecan nuts

Icing

1 cup icing sugar

125g cream cheese, softened

50g unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Mix the sugar and oil in a bowl with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger, and mix thoroughly. Finally, add the carrots and pecans and gently mix until just combined.

Grease and line your cake tin with baking paper.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin (if you are making two layers simply half the mix and bake time).  

Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean and dry.

To make the icing, place all ingredients into a food processor and mix until completely combined and the consistency is smooth and creamy.

Once cool, spread the cake with the cream cheese icing.

This recipe was originally published in our article 3 sweet treats to whip up this Easter.