Carrot cake, sounds almost healthy doesn’t it? Just what we need for righteous January when we’re meant to be looking at abstemious and healthy options!
I’ve always wanted to perfect my carrot cake recipe, so this January seemed like just the right time. Some carrot cakes can be a bit stodgy and over wet, but I wanted a light but moist finish with a hearty warming hit of spice to counteract the cream cheese icing. As we avoid nuts, this recipe is just carrot based, but should you wish to add some of the traditional walnuts to the cake then I’d recommend stirring 25g chopped walnuts through the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients.
This cake works beautifully as either a loaf cake or a tray bake, it kind of just depends on what tin you have to hand, and also what proportion icing to cake you prefer! The below recipe is for a loaf cake, but should you prefer a traybake, use a square 18-20cm tin and bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Centigrade and perhaps double the amount of frosting for a generous covering.
Talking of the icing, or frosting if you prefer the American terminology; this cream cheese icing packed with vanilla flavour and is incredibly delicious, just try not to eat too much straight from the bowl before covering the cake!
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
- 1 2lb loaf tin
Ingredients
- 200 ml dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp flavourless oil such as sunflower
- 125 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 85 g soft brown sugar
- 75 g carrot grated
- 75 g or 1/3 cup Lotus caramelised spread
- For the cream cheese icing:
- 25 g dairy-free margarine
- 20 g dairy-free cream cheese I used Oatly Creamy spread
- 130 g icing sugar sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade
- Line or grease a 2 lb loaf tin
- Add the lemon juice and oil to the milk and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and grated carrot.
- Melt the caramelised spread and add to the milk mix. Stir well
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until all the ingredients are well combined
- Fill the loaf tin with the mix.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and a knife comes out clean.
- Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
- Make the cream cheese icing by whisking the margarine, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla together until thick and smooth.
- Generously spread the cream cheese icing over the cooled loaf.
2 Responses
Hi Lucy, the recipe says to add lemon juice and oil to the milk but there is no oil in the ingredients. Has it been left out by mistake? Thank you for the recipe. xo
Oh thank you for noticing, that was a typo! I’ll edit it right now. It should be 2tbsp flavourless oil too x