Carrot Cake
 
Preparation time
Cooking time
Total time
 
A family friend (Thia Antigone) gave us this recipe when I was a teenager and I have never tasted a better Carrot Cake. It is light, moist and the icing is creamy taking the cake to a heavenly place. I often have to make the cake two days ahead, due to time pressures and it keeps well wrapped in cling film and iced on the day it is needed. The cake also freezes well, again wrapped in cling wrap and then into a freezer bag, for those occasions that you need a 'One I prepared earlier' option. This is a great Easter bake to serve to family and friends.
Marissa:
Recipe type: Cakes
Cuisine: South African
Servings: 12
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups plain flour
  • 1 ¼ cups sunflower oil
  • 1 ¼ cups caster sugar
  • 3 cups finely grated carrots (about 750g or +-8 whole carrots)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or flaked almonds
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Icing
  • 125g butter
  • 125g cream cheese
  • 500g icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Method
  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
  2. Line, grease and flour, two square or round tins or one large tin for a quicker baking cake.(Read my post on How to Bake Cakes Quicker: http://www.marissa.co/ideas/how-to-make-cakes-quicker/)
  3. Beat the eggs and caster sugar together until the mixture is white and fluffy.
  4. Add the sunflower oil and beat until just combined.
  5. Add all the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until the mixture combines well.
  6. Gently fold the carrots and nuts into the cake mixture.
  7. Keep your folds light to keep the air you have incorporated in the beginning, this will make your cake fluffy.
  8. Spoon the mixture into your chosen greased and floured cake tins.
  9. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
  10. Cool the cakes before icing.
  11. Icing
  12. Beat the butter and icing sugar together.
  13. On a low-speed beat in the cream cheese and vanilla essence.
  14. Do not overbeat or the mixture will become very runny.
  15. Ice and decorate the cake with flaked almonds, pecan nuts or white chocolate carrots available in the baking section of your supermarket.
  16. Enjoy
Recipe by Marissa's Recipes & Ideas at https://www.marissa.co/carrot-cake/