Carrot Cake

This classic Carrot Cake is soft, moist, spiced, and slathered in the dreamiest buttercream icing.

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, British

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 35

EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS

75 g Caster Sugar
75 g Light Brown Sugar
150 ml Sunflower Oil
3 Free-range Eggs
140 g Grated Carrot (approx. one medium-large carrot)
Zest of 1 Orange
75 g Raisins or Sultanas
50 g Walnuts (roughly chopped)
175 g Self-raising Flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg

For the Buttercream

150 g Butter or Margarine (at room temperature)
300 g Icing Sugar
Zest of an Orange or ½ tsp Cinnamon (optional)
1 handful Walnuts (roughly chopped - optional)

Metric (UK) | Cups (US)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan-assisted ovens or Gas Mark 4). Grease and line two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich cake tins with grease-proof paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the oil, caster sugar and brown sugar, before adding in the eggs; one at a time ensuring they are mixed through well. Add the carrot, raisins/sultanas, walnuts & orange zest and mix to combine.
Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, add the cinnamon and nutmeg. before folding the mixture together to create a batter.
Spoon the batter evenly into your prepared tins and bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for a little while, before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Buttercream:

In a large bowl, mix the butter/margarine with the icing sugar (and orange zest/cinnamon, if using), until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.
Once completely cool, spread half the buttercream on the top of one of your Carrot Cake layers, sandwich the other on top and spread the remaining buttercream on top. Finish with chopped walnuts to finish, if desired.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.

RECIPE NOTES:

For full explanations on each ingredient and possible substitutions, see the Ingredients section above.
Carrot Cake should be stored in an airtight container, and will keep for about 1 week.
You can freeze Carrot Cake, preferably before adding the buttercream icing. Tightly wrap your Carrot Cakes in clingfilm, then again in tin foil. To defrost, remove from the freezer and allow to warm to room temperature before adding the buttercream to the middle and top. Do not re-freeze once defrosted, and do not leave in your freezer for more than 3 months to avoid freezer-burn.

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