Yummy scrummy carrot cake

Yummy scrummy carrot cake

The lightest and most enticingly moist carrot cake you will ever come across - just find a good hiding place for it!

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 15 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins

Including 40-45 minutes in the oven.
Freezable

Dairy-free

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment. The easiest way to do this is to cut two long strips the width of the tin and put each strip crossways, covering the base and sides of the tin, with a double layer in the base.
  2. Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.
  3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients - when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. (You can freeze the cake at this point.)
  5. Beat together the frosting ingredients in a small bowl until smooth - you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Set the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.
Try

Like this?

You might also like to try Angela Nilsen's lighter option, Ultimate makeover: Carrot cake, or try something new with Carrot & cream cheese cupcakes .

Per serving

265 kcalories, protein 3.0g, carbohydrate 39.0g, fat 12.0 g, saturated fat 2.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 24.8g, salt 0.41 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Paul

    31 October 2007

    Paul commented on this recipe

    Really really nice plus easy as well. See it here; http://www.flickr.com/photos/flicksta/518463854/in/pool-bbcgoodfood/

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  • Binder photo Paul

    31 October 2007

    Paul rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo joanneh

    01 November 2007

    joanneh rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I have made this cake lots of times and it never fails. Everyone raves about it and thinks i must be some kind of nigella in the kitchen to make something that is good every single time! It is very easy to make and even the pain of having to grate all that carrot is well worth the effort. I work in a factory which has an excellent canteen and the two chefs who work here are very critical of other peoples work and they both have tried and loved this cake - praise indeed. My only comment would be that the icing ins't exactly easy to drizzle and i usually just end up spreading it all over the cake and finishing with a sprinkle of lemon zest but it's still great.

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  • Binder photo petradesmit

    01 November 2007

    petradesmit rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Since 2002 I bake this in my bread-machine. The program "no yeast" works very well. Whenever there are carrots in my organic box (bag in Holland) this is the recipe! We simply cut it in slices...

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  • Binder photo Henderson1

    02 November 2007

    Henderson1 commented on this recipe

    What can i say.. you won't find a better recipe for carrot cake. Its really easy to make and the end result is a delicious, moist, extremely tasty cake. The only problem is it doesn't last long! And because it's made with carrots you can convince youself that it's counting towards your 5-a-day!!

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  • Binder photo max

    03 November 2007

    max rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    Did not like the amount of oil used.

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  • Binder photo anniefood

    03 November 2007

    anniefood commented on this recipe

    This is lovely and I have made it time and time again everyone asks for it for a special occasion. I disagree about the oil; I use rape seed oil which is only a �1 a bottle from a well known supermarket and which hasn't got such a heavy taste as olive oil. It fits in my square tin better if IO alter the proportions to an 8oz base. The recipe for the icing is awful though and I still I haven't found the right topping though I keep experimenting. In the original recipe, (I still have the magazine) there was the juice and zest of an whole orange and I can't understand why it's been left out. I have made orange zest brittle and crumbled it on the top for a really dramatic effect! anniefood

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  • Binder photo hammer901

    05 November 2007

    hammer901 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    what a lovely cake at a very low price

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  • Binder photo Chiara

    06 November 2007

    Chiara rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A fantastic cake, the orange made a lovely combination with the carrot.

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  • Binder photo topbanana

    08 November 2007

    topbanana rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Excellent recipe which I've made several times. It's very moreish! Would agree with other comments about the icing - I usually end up spreading it over rather than drizzling it and still find there's too much icing.

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  • Binder photo Angie's

    15 November 2007

    Angie's rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Not as moist as expected. But lovely cinammony flavour and not overly sweet

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  • Binder photo kyoko

    17 November 2007

    kyoko rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    very moist and nice flavour! I will make this again!

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  • Binder photo Mehdi72

    20 November 2007

    Mehdi72 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Easy to make, light, very moist and not too sweet unlike many carrot cakes I have tried. Great with coffee! I agree with anniefood's comments on the icing though it's too bitter. I'll try a cream cheese topping next time. http://www.flickr.com/photos/10682451@N03/2050178927

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  • Binder photo Marie

    22 November 2007

    Marie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    A fantastic cake - I make it for a friend who cannot eat dairy. Using oil instead of butter means this is a winner with her!

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  • Binder photo zmora

    27 November 2007

    zmora rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I've made it today. Delicious! Still waiting for my husband to try it. I've used almonds and nuts (2 handfull of each, well greated) and a bit more oil to keep the consistency.

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  • Binder photo Tins tastys

    02 December 2007

    Tins tastys commented on this recipe

    great!

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  • Binder photo Angfen

    15 December 2007

    Angfen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy and delicious recipe

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  • Binder photo lindad4a

    16 December 2007

    lindad4a rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy and very delicious. It also worked well when using gluten free flour (Stamp) - and finding a really good recipe for a gluten/dairy-free cake is not easy!!

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  • Binder photo Annab

    18 December 2007

    Annab rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Found it a bit greasy, but it was a hit in our house. Might try using a different lighter oil next time. The icing gave it a really tangy flavour. Would make it again.

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  • Binder photo dave888

    10 January 2008

    dave888 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 15 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 1 hr - 1 hr 15 mins

Including 40-45 minutes in the oven.
Freezable

Dairy-free

Ingredients

  • 175g light muscovado sugar
  • 175ml sunflower oil
  • 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • 140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)
  • 100g raisins
  • grated zest of 1 large orange
  • 175g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour)

FOR THE FROSTING

  • 175g icing sugar
  • 1½-2 tbsp orange juice
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Per serving

265 kcalories, protein 3.0g, carbohydrate 39.0g, fat 12.0 g, saturated fat 2.0g, fibre 1.0g, sugar 24.8g, salt 0.41 g

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