My Favourite Carrot Cake | Community Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2024)

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Introduction

This came from the 'Baker and Spice baking with passion' award winning book and it is a real stunner. I have tinkered with it a bit but I love how tall it looks on the outside and is full of flavor but still light on the inside. This makes a 23 cm cake with 2 tiers.

This came from the 'Baker and Spice baking with passion' award winning book and it is a real stunner. I have tinkered with it a bit but I love how tall it looks on the outside and is full of flavor but still light on the inside. This makes a 23 cm cake with 2 tiers.

Ingredients

Serves: 6

MetricCups

For the Carrot Cake

  • 300 grams self-raising flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 335 millilitres sunflower oil
  • 450 grams sugar
  • 125 grams carrots (grated)
  • 140 grams walnuts (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the Icing

  • 175 grams unsalted butter
  • 200 grams cream cheese (full fat, softened)
  • 215 grams icing sugar (sifted)

For the Carrot Cake

  • 11 ounces self-rising flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 11¾ fluid ounces vegetable oil
  • 16 ounces sugar
  • 4 ounces carrots (grated)
  • 5 ounces walnuts (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the Icing

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter
  • 7 ounces cream cheese (full fat, softened)
  • 8 ounces confectioners' sugar (sifted)

Method

My Favourite Carrot Cake is a community recipe submitted by SamIAm and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

  • I use two spring form tins (23 cm) that I butter bottom and sides.Cover the buttered bottoms of the tins with a circular piece of baking paper, butter the paper then cover it as well as the sides with flour.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt.
  • Separate 2 of the 4 eggs.
  • In a large bowl beat together both the oil and the sugar. Add the whole eggs one at a time, beat the mixture well before adding the two egg yolks. Stir in both the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Fold in the flour then add the boiling water.
  • In another bowl, whisk the 2 egg whites to soft peak stage. Fold it into the batter.
  • Divide the cake between the two tins. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool before removing them from the tins.
  • The icing consists of mixing all the ingredients together. Keep the icing in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
  • Sandwich some icing between the two tiers of cake and then cover the rest with what remains. Put the whole cake in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. The icing fares better if this cake remains in the fridge.
  • I use two spring form tins (23 cm) that I butter bottom and sides.Cover the buttered bottoms of the tins with a circular piece of baking paper, butter the paper then cover it as well as the sides with flour.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
  • Separate 2 of the 4 eggs.
  • In a large bowl beat together both the oil and the sugar. Add the whole eggs one at a time, beat the mixture well before adding the two egg yolks. Stir in both the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts. Fold in the flour then add the boiling water.
  • In another bowl, whisk the 2 egg whites to soft peak stage. Fold it into the batter.
  • Divide the cake between the two tins. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool before removing them from the tins.
  • The icing consists of mixing all the ingredients together. Keep the icing in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
  • Sandwich some icing between the two tiers of cake and then cover the rest with what remains. Put the whole cake in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. The icing fares better if this cake remains in the fridge.
  • Additional Information

    This cake is for those not crazy about carrot cake and want that little extra. It is like a spice cake with some carrots thrown in. It is a two tier tall cake with a beautiful white icing that one can use for Birthdays. I am asked to make this all the time. DELICIOUS and GORGEOUS!

    This cake is for those not crazy about carrot cake and want that little extra. It is like a spice cake with some carrots thrown in. It is a two tier tall cake with a beautiful white icing that one can use for Birthdays. I am asked to make this all the time. DELICIOUS and GORGEOUS!

    Tell us what you think

    What 14 Others have said

    • Favourite cake! Made this a fair few times now! My family love it! And the icing is perfect just pop it in the fridge For 10 mins or so and it’s perfect, fan oven at 170 for the 45 mins xx thank you again nigella!

      Posted by Jessica101 on 14th May 2019
    • Oven temp for those wondering should be 180CAlso, not sure why they changed the icing recipe as it's perfect in the book-130g unsalted butter300g full-fat soft cheese (Philadelphia) softened160g icing sugar - beat all ingredients to make a thick cream.

      Posted by Tezsangel on 8th May 2019
    • This was a great cake - very light, very well reviewed. I also made it a bundt tin, and it cooked completely.

      I cooked it for an hour in 160℃ fan, and it came out a bit burnt on top, so maybe slightly less. Also used a little more icing sugar in the icing, just to thicken it like the other commenters.

      Posted by Labrose on 22nd August 2017
    • Isn't 450g of sugar a little excessive? I followed this recipe closely only to discover it really is just too sweet. I'd advise others to reduce the amount of sugar added.

      Posted by mannhwen on 15th May 2016
    • Screaming because it doesn't say a temperature! I edited the instructions a little, as I only wanted a 1 layer cake for Mother's Day, but there was a little batter left over that I put into a mini cake tin :D Apart from the temperature, it's a great recipe!

      Posted by booyahbitches on 8th May 2016
    • I take it all back from my previous comment. It turned out really great. I did cook it for about an hour and a quarter and the icing needed a bit of tweaking to get it firm enough as I added some lemon juice and I also left out the butter but settled for a few dollops of Philadelphia cream cheese. All good.

      Posted by nikcardo on 16th February 2016
    • I think the quantity of oil is far too much. The cake rose well and looked very impressive but a bit slimey. It was in the oven for 1hr 5 mins at 170 fan assisted and I've put it back for another 20 to see if that dries it out a bit. It is in a single round big tin and not 2 smaller ones so maybe the cooking time needs more.

      Posted by nikcardo on 15th February 2016
    • Just made this in a Bundt Pan, and it came out brilliantly!! Had it on 160 c Fan Oven for 1 hour. Lovely and light and rose a mile high! ....only the cream cheese frosting was a tad loose, otherwise a fab cake.

      Posted by Nodmijer on 7th January 2016
    • Great cake recipe. I also set my fan oven to 160 degrees celsius, which worked perfectly. However, I found the consistency of the cream cheese icing to be a little to loose, so use another!!

      Posted by janefraser on 2nd June 2015
    • awesome recipe! I cannot bake for nuts, but I tried this ones and it was the best cake I ever made in my LIFE! Only thing ...please add what temp to bake it on too. tks!

      Posted by nimisha24 on 16th April 2015
    • I've made this cake twice now and set the oven to 160 degrees (fan assisted) and both times it's baked perfectly. It's such a tasty and moist carrot cake.

      Posted by Avashan on 1st June 2014
    • I made this last night and it came out really badly. I followed the recipe and guessed 180 degrees c as the temperature to cook it but it came out pale, tasting mainly of oil, flaky on the top and... (I have never done this before!) ...I had to throw the cake away. I was gutted after taking time to make it. This is definitely NOT my favourite carrot cake.

      Posted by Daisyhay on 11th November 2013

    Show more comments

    My Favourite Carrot Cake | Community Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (1)

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    My Favourite Carrot Cake | Community Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2024)

    FAQs

    Why did my carrot cake flop? ›

    This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

    Is it best to keep carrot cake in the fridge? ›

    Homemade carrot cake can last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature, 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, and up to 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Store-bought carrot cake typically has a longer shelf life due to preservatives and airtight packaging. To maximize the freshness of carrot cake, proper storage is essential.

    Why is carrot cake so good? ›

    Most of its flavor comes from brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and carrots. Ginger adds the most delicious zing, but it isn't overpowering at all. The cake is dense, but each forkful tastes super soft and extra lush.

    Why is carrot cake called carrot? ›

    Many food historians believe carrot cake originated from such carrot puddings eaten by Europeans in the Middle Ages, when sugar and sweeteners were expensive and many people used carrots as a substitute for sugar.

    Why is my carrot cake moist but crumbly? ›

    A cake can crumble for a variety of reasons: overmixed batter, too much flour, not enough sugar or not enough shortening. When you bake your cake, make sure you use the flour your recipes calls for, preheat your oven and bake the cake at the correct temperature.

    Why does carrot cake taste weird? ›

    Burnt Ingredients: If any of the ingredients, especially fats like butter or oil, are overcooked or burnt during the baking process, they can impart a bitter taste to the cake. Overmixing: Overmixing the batter can lead to the development of gluten, which can result in a dense and tough texture.

    Can you eat carrot cake that was left out overnight? ›

    What you can't do, however, is leave carrot cake out on the counter indefinitely. If you want to keep carrot cake in tip-top shape from beginning to end, the FDA recommends that you don't leave it on the counter for any longer than two hours.

    Can you leave carrot cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight? ›

    How Long Can Cream Cheese Frosting Sit Out? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises refrigerating any food made with cream cheese after 2 hours (that includes time spent making the food). The same typically goes for frostings made with other perishable foods such as.

    Can you freeze homemade carrot cake? ›

    You can actually freeze Carrot Cake baked and frosted! It is best to refrigerate it for about 6-8 hours before freezing so the frosting firms up and you don't ruin it. Before placing it in the freezer, be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap then either place it in an air tight bag or container.

    Why does my carrot cake not taste like carrot cake? ›

    Seriously though, if using only natural carrots, it is hard to get a significant carroty taste in a cake, mainly because 1) carrots don't have a very strong taste, 2) some of the taste is lost with cooking, and 3) the native texture and taste of a cake overwhelm whatever taste is remaining in the carrots.

    What ethnicity is carrot cake? ›

    In 1827, carrot cake appeared for the first time in a French cookbook published in Britain, as reported by National Today, but there was a recipe for carrot pudding pie on record from "The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy" as early as 1747, per The Food of England Project.

    Why do people put raisins in carrot cake? ›

    Raisins can add a chewy texture and a subtle sweetness that complements the warm spices in the cake.

    Why do people love carrot cake? ›

    Carrot cake is a classic dessert that's perfect for any occasion. Moist and flavorful, with a delicious cream cheese frosting, carrot cake is a treat that everyone will love. If you've never made carrot cake before, don't worry. It's quite easy to make, and the results are well worth the effort.

    Why do carrots turn blue in carrot cake? ›

    The green flecks are carrot but the colour has been changed by the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the mixture. Some pigments are sensitive to pH balances and will change colour if they are in a very acid or very alkaline environment.

    What is the Chinese name for carrot cake? ›

    When you order chai tow kway, or “carrot cake,” in Singapore, what you get could be more accurately described as a radish omelet: A daikon steamed with rice flour, then chopped and fried with garlic, preserved turnips, and eggs.

    How do you fix a flopped cake? ›

    How to Fix Sunken Cake
    1. Step 1: Cut the outer ring of cake. Take your fallen cake and cut the ridge from around the sunken middle, so the top of the cake is level. ...
    2. Step 2: Fill in the gap in the cake. Using the excess cake, fill the sunken middle in and smooth it out. ...
    3. Step 3: Cover with frosting.

    Why is my cake floppy? ›

    If the temperature of your oven is too high, your cake will not cook properly. While the outside of your cake will be done and may even start to burn, the middle will remain liquid. Once you turn this cake out of the oven, the center may sink, or the uncooked batter may spill out when you cut the cake. This situ.

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