Carrot cake is a traditional cake perfect as a dessert or snack. It’s widely enjoyed with tea or coffee and is very tasteful.
Brief History and Origin
The recipe for a carrot-based cake dates back to the 16th century in Europe, known as the “pudding of carrots” or “pudding of parsnips.” It was made with grated carrots, parsnips, eggs, sugar, butter, spices, and sometimes raisins or currants. This recipe was not very popular initially but gradually became more popular throughout Europe.
By the 17th century, it had become a staple in many European households and made its way to North America by the 18th century. In America, the dessert was usually referred to as “carrot pudding” and often served with cream cheese frosting instead of traditional icing.
Carrot Cake – The Recipe
- Preparation Time: 35 mins
- Cooking Time: 30 mins
- Total time: 1 hr 5 mins
- Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 230ml vegetable oil
- 100g natural yogurt
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ orange, zested
- 265g flour, self-rising
- 335g white sugar
- 2 ½ tsp cinnamon, ground
- ¼ tsp. fresh nutmeg, finely grated
- 265g carrots, grated
- 100g raisins
- 100g walnuts, roughly chopped
For the icing
- 100g softened butter
- 300g confectioners’ sugar
- 100g cream cheese
Instructions
- Prepare oven and preheat to 160 degrees C. Also, prepare two 20cm cake tin pans by lightly greasing them with butter, then dust with flour.
- Add oil, vanilla extract, yogurt, zest and eggs in a large bowl, and beat using an electric mixer until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon in another bowl, mix well, and remove any sugar lumps.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Then add raisins, carrots and half of the nuts, and mix again.
- Divide and transfer the batter to the prepared cake tins and place in the preheated oven; bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean.
- To prepare to ice, add sugar and butter in a bowl, and whisk until consistent. Then add half of the cream cheese and whisk again; finally, add the remaining cream cheese and whisk gently.
- When cakes are ready, take them out of the oven, leave them for 10 minutes, then remove them form cake tins. Spread half of the icing on one cake and then put the other cake on top.
- Spread the remaining icing on top of the cake, scatter the remaining walnut and leave in the refrigerator for some time before serving.
Popular variations
Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:
- Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake: Adding chocolate chips to the traditional carrot cake makes it better.
- Pineapple Carrot Cake: Pineapple is another fruit widely used and loved in a cake. Its combination with carrots makes the cake very delicious.
- Spiced Carrot Cake: Adding mixed spices and chopped nuts take your traditional carrot cake to another level. Topping it with rich labneh icing makes it even more flavorsome.
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake: If you are looking for a gluten-free carrot cake, try this one!
- Carrot Cake With Lime Icing: Lime icing is refreshing and tangy and compliments the carrot cake.
