Carrot Cake Recipe & Coffee

Go straight to the carrot cake recipe

Did you know that Carrot cake recipe is probably one of the most popular cake recipes in the UK? There is almost no coffee shop or restaurant which wouldn't have carrot cake on the menu. And when you make new friendships with the locals and you are finally invited for a tea then this cake is the most frequent companion to be served with your coffee or tea. But it is really peculiar, in every house the taste of carrot cake will be slightly different and they will use recipe which will be different from their neighbour's. Pretty confusing if you're trying it out for the first time.

In Slovenia carrot cake recipe is not among the most popular cake recipes, but ever since we moved to the UK I am baking it every here and there. There is a big number of yummy carrot cake recipes on internet but I particularly like the easy carrot cake recipe from the Mary Berry's Baking bible (http://www.maryberry.co.uk/). Of course I couldn't resist to make some twists to the original recipe. In my opinion this is one of the best carrot cake recipes ever.

Carrot cake is quite a "heavy" dessert and it sounds much healthier than it really is. The high content of oil, sugar, full fat cheese and walnuts are miles away from the low fat diet. That is why I don't bake it very often. The battle starts as soon as I put this yummy cake on the table and in 10 minutes crumbs are the only indication of its existence.

Turkish coffee

What we need for this incredibly yummy carrot cake recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

- 225g (8oz)self raising flour
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (level the teaspoons)
- 150g (5oz) light brown sugar
- 150ml sunflower oil
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 120g (4oz) grated carrots
- 70g (2.5oz) chopped walnuts
- 2tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp grated or ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- (a handful of dark chocolate bits or raisins - optional)

For the topping:

- 200g (7oz) full fat soft cheese
- 50g (2oz) very softened butter
- 50g (2oz) sifted icing sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- chopped walnuts for decoration

Method - how to use (probably) the best carrot cake recipe:

- Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4/356F . Grease a 20cm/8inch deep round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
- Chop the walnuts coarsely.
- Grate the carrots coarsely too.
- Mash two ripe bananas with a fork.
- Measure all the ingredients in a big bowl and gently mix them together. Be sure, not to over mix.
- Turn the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface.
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the cake is well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
- When the carrot cake is baked leave it in the tin for a few minutes, then turn it out and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- For the topping: Put 50g of butter in a warm place to get it really soft. Measure all the ingredients into a bowl (except walnuts) and give them a good stir with a fork. You can also use food processor. Mix until soft and smooth.
- Spread the mixture with a spatula or a knife over the top of the cake. Decorate the top with chopped walnuts.
- Chill for a few minutes before serving, and store in the fridge as the topping is soft.

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Method (step by step):

STEP 1:

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4/356F.

Chop the walnuts coarsely with a sharp knife.

STEP 2:

Grate the carrots coarsely too (take care of your fingers and knuckles).

STEP 3:

Mash two ripe bananas with a fork.

STEP 4:

Measure all the ingredients in a big bowl and and gently mix them together.

STEP 5:

Do not over mix!

STEP 6:

Grease a 20cm/8in deep round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

STEP 7:

Turn the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface.

STEP 8:

Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the cake is well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.

STEP 9:

When the carrot cake is baked leave it in the tin for a few minutes, then turn it out and finish cooling on a wire rack. When the cake is cool cut off the top to get levelled surface for the topping.

STEP 10:

For the topping:

You need 200g of soft full-fat cheese.

STEP 11:

Measure all the ingredients (soft cheese, softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract) into a bowl (except walnuts).

STEP 12:

Give them a good stir with a fork (you can also use a food processor). Mix until soft and smooth.

STEP 13:

Spread the cheese mixture over the top of the cake and decorate with chopped walnuts. Leave the cake in a fridge for a few minutes before serving.
This cake turned out totally yummy!

Our coffee choice for this wonderful carrot cake recipe:

Cappuccino

Espresso

Cafe latte

Turkish coffee

* all combinations have been tested with medium roast Arabica blend

Baking tips

Always use ripe bananas in a carrot cake recipe.
Chill the carrot cake before serving.
Store the cake in a fridge. It will stay fresh for about 4 days.
Many carrot cake recipes include optional ingredients, such as nuts and raisins.
Carrot cake may be eaten plain, but sometimes it is glazed or topped with white icing or soft cheese topping or even marzipan.
If you want to bake moist carrot cake recipe use two very ripe bananas.

Good to know

Carrot cake recipe has become popular in the UK after the second world war.
In America it has become popular in the 1960s.