Well, unless you have been sleeping under a rock the last few days, you will know that my Lil Man’s birthday was a few days ago, and he wasn’t with us. Well, it’s been a few years since I actually baked a cake for him, as time has often been short, but this year, I wanted to do the right thing… and what did he want? No Spidey cakes or Starwars cakes for him this time. Rather a grown up Carrot cake was what he requested!
This is a pretty good recipe that I had found in a newspaper, and had made a few years ago, for my sister-in-law’s birthday initially. It is actually for a 3-tier cake, but that was huge!
This time, I still made the 3 tiers, but used 2 for his cake, and iced the third single one to take into work for my team!
Here are a couple of photos of the 3 tier version (apologies, the photos were a bit rubbish!) and the single one from this time round!
Now, I would be cruel if I left you with drool hanging, and didn’t share the recipe.. I am not that awful, so here it is!
The Best Carrot Cake Ever!
Ingredients
525ml vegetable oil
9 eggs
525g soft dark brown sugar
420g grated carrots
Grated zest of 3 large oranges
525g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
1tbsp bicarbonate of soda
1 ½ tbsp. mixed spice
Seeds of one vanilla pod
2 drops vanilla extract
200g icing sugar
40g butter, cubed
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
115g low fat cream cheese, chilled
Handful of pecans or walnuts, toasted to decorate
Equipment
3 x 9inch round baking tins
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4.
- Prepare tins by oiling the insides and lining with baking paper.
- Put the oil, eggs, sugar, grated carrots and orange zest into a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. The mixture is a lot, you may need to do this in batches.
- Mix the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice, then sift into the bowl.
- Add the vanilla seeds and lightly mix everything together until the mixture is uniform, but still soft and runny.
- Ladle into tins and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- The cakes are ready when the sponge springs back up if pushed lightly. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack, and peel off the baking paper.
For the cream cheese frosting
- Mix the icing sugar, butter, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a bowl then whisk well.
- Stir in the cream cheese. If the mixture looks runny then put in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden.
- When the cakes are cool, take two of them and slice off the domed tops, leaving them flat. Don’t slice the top off the third cake.
- Put a dollop of frosting in the middle of a serving plate to stop the cake from sliding.
- Take one of the flattened cakes and place it on top. Then pop a big spoonful of frosting and spread it all over, leaving a 2.5cm/1inch gap around the edge.
- Place the second flattened cake on top, then repeat.
- Put the unsliced cake on top then spread the frosting and decorate.
- ENJOY!!!
It was delicious, moist and carroty, with a hint of spice to warm things up! I definitely recommend it! If you get a chance, make it, and let me know what you think!
Charli Mills
Mar 22, 2018 @ 01:19:30
Love the walnuts!
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Ritu
Mar 22, 2018 @ 07:01:11
Gotta be done!
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joey
Jul 09, 2016 @ 18:39:55
Looks good! You can always tell when a carrot cake is rich and delicious, because it’s darker in color, and yours looks scrumptious!
I make my own, too, but I like molasses and golden raisins as well.
For years and years I made two carrot birthday cakes, for my dad and for my nephew. But they don’t live close anymore Still, I love carrot cake as well!
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Ritu
Jul 09, 2016 @ 22:21:24
Yum! I love Carrot cake!!!
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elementhealing
Jul 07, 2016 @ 16:36:52
Well Happy Birthday to your little man! The cake looks yummy. I’ll have to give the recipe a try.
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Ritu
Jul 07, 2016 @ 16:42:21
Thank you! Let me know how it goes!!
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elementhealing
Jul 07, 2016 @ 17:09:47
I will!
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Smiling Notes
Jul 05, 2016 @ 17:09:39
Yumm! Carrot cake is my fav…thanks for the wonderful recipe..I’m drooling looking at the pics 😀 Happy Belated Birthday to the birthday boy 🙂
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Ritu
Jul 05, 2016 @ 18:59:30
Thank you! Do try it! It’s yummy!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rareity
Jul 04, 2016 @ 17:18:38
☕🍰 nom nom nom. My favorite! Now incan make it myself muahahahaha! Thanks Ritu
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 18:46:25
You’re welcome ☺
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eloquentparadise
Jul 04, 2016 @ 16:48:55
Mouth watering!
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 16:58:14
😊😊😊 yum!!!
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eloquentparadise
Jul 04, 2016 @ 16:58:37
Don’t you visit India anymore?
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 17:01:14
We do but after a few years..I have no family there. My husband does though 😊
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eloquentparadise
Jul 04, 2016 @ 17:02:46
Oh sweeet. I’d play your host if you come and then you can make me this delicious cake. Deal? 😉
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 17:09:54
Deal!!!! 😊
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eloquentparadise
Jul 04, 2016 @ 17:10:22
Yay! 😬
LikeLiked by 1 person
jjspina
Jul 04, 2016 @ 13:52:22
Looks delicious! Too bad I am off sweets! Thanks for sharing. 😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 15:11:41
Thanks! !!
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vivalaViv
Jul 04, 2016 @ 12:56:53
Awww.., I love carrot cake!! Well, once I bought the ingredients from the local supermarket and made the cake myself at home, even though I put milk instead of water by mistake, the cake survived and was surprisingly tasty (for a supermarket cake)! I can imagine your homemade carrot cake must be so delicious!!!
Vivienne X
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 15:10:44
It was lovely Vivienne! 😊
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voulaah
Jul 04, 2016 @ 09:15:42
You cake looks so tasty Ritu
enjoy your post
thank you for sharing
Happy monday
🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 12:12:58
Thank you Voulaah!
LikeLiked by 1 person
voulaah
Jul 04, 2016 @ 12:13:11
oh welcome
🙂
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Heartafire
Jul 04, 2016 @ 02:42:58
yummy! great job and thanks for the recipes!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:57:07
You’re welcome!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartafire
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:37:52
Must bake this soon!
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 15:12:01
Let me know if you do!
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Heartafire
Jul 04, 2016 @ 15:32:36
I will let you know my results…lol! Not the best baker of cakes in the world here! 😦
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Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 15:47:24
I’m sure it will he great!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
S.K. Nicholls
Jul 04, 2016 @ 02:11:18
My fav and that looks delicious.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:56:57
Thank you 😊
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Shadeau
Jul 04, 2016 @ 00:15:05
Oh I am so starving now–looks Delish!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:55:14
Thank! Cone get some!
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Shadeau
Jul 04, 2016 @ 07:24:54
Wish I could 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
wwwpalfitness
Jul 03, 2016 @ 23:26:44
Ooh send me some>>>>….
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:54:54
Open invite!
LikeLiked by 1 person
wwwpalfitness
Jul 04, 2016 @ 21:14:26
🙂
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Lisa A.
Jul 03, 2016 @ 22:47:11
It looks SO good, Ritu!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 22:55:21
I still have some! Come get it Lisa!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Erika Kind
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:57:37
Oh, I love carrot cake and your look so yummy, Sis! 😋
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 21:04:20
Thanks sis!!! It is yummy! One day I’ll make it for you! !!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Erika Kind
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:50:51
Oh, yes 😁😋😃😘 but the best part about it was that we would meet again 💖
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:57:53
Yay!!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Erika Kind
Jul 04, 2016 @ 06:58:52
😄😄😄
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ann GrubbsnCritters
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:44:45
Nothing more special than a homemade birthday cake by Mommy! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 21:03:49
I know! I feel bad that I haven’t baked for so long!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ann GrubbsnCritters
Jul 04, 2016 @ 22:59:17
Then the time is nigh! 😉
I love baking, but realising that butter is getting a tad expensive to be baking a lot!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ritu
Jul 05, 2016 @ 06:45:08
Uh oh! I’m not noticing cost, as I dog do it that often, but it’s time! Finding time!!!
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Judy Martin
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:36:44
Looks gorgeous Sis. I like a bit of carrot cake now and again 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 21:03:19
Thanks sis! It’s a great recipe!!!! 😊
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masgautsen
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:34:10
Looks like a great cake!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 21:02:31
It was yum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Al Lane
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:18:28
I’ll take a small slice, thanks… a little bigger… a little more… come on, cut me a real piece! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:21:07
Come on over and help youself!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Al Lane
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:27:00
I may just do that! Thanks for sharing the recipe too 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ritu
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:31:29
If you try it, you must let me know!
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Al Lane
Jul 03, 2016 @ 20:33:11
Will do!
LikeLiked by 2 people