Description
A perfect coffee break snack, this carrot cake traybake is rich & delicious. Flavoured with cinnamon & balanced with a slightly tangy cream cheese frosting.
The default recipe makes around 16 pieces
Ingredients
Scale
For the cakes:
- 200g / 7oz dark brown sugar (see note 1)
- 150g / 5.3oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2 tsp cinnamon (see note 2)
- pinch of salt
- 125ml / 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 250g / 7 oz carrot, peeled and grated
- 50g chopped walnuts (see note 3)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 150g / 5.3oz full-fat cream cheese, cold straight from the fridge
- 100g / 3.5oz room temperature butter (see note 4)
- 150g / 5.3oz icing/confectioners sugar
To decorate
- Orange zest and/or chopped walnuts
Equipment
- Baking dish, around 20 x 25 x 5cm (8 x 10 x 2in). This one from Amazing is a perfect size.
Instructions
First, make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 170C/340F.
- In a large bowl mix together the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
- In another bowl whisk together the egg and oil until well combined.
- Add the flour mix to the eggs and whisk until you have a thick, smooth consistency.
- Place the grated carrots into the mixture and stir until evenly mixed.
- Grease the baking dish with a little butter or oil and then line with baking/parchment paper.
- Spoon the carrot cake mixture into the baking tray and then place it in the oven for 45 minutes. (see note 5)
- Transfer the baked cake to a wire rack and allow it to fully cool before decorating.
While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl beat the butter until and pale, around 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese and beat for a further minute, until evenly combined and light.
- Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat, until fully incorporated around 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- You can use light brown sugar instead of dark brown, although dark brown will result in a slightly richer colour and flavour. However, don’t substitute white sugar as it doesn’t have the necessary acidity to react with and activate the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
- You can substitute the cinnamon with nutmeg if prefered
- You can omit the walnuts if you aren’t a fan, or substitute them with pecans.
- Room temperature butter should be soft but have a little resistance when pressed. It should have no visible liquid or oily parts
- The cake is done when the top is springy but set and not sticky, and when you can insert a skewer or toothpick into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean.
- Keep the baked cake in the fridge. It will keep for 5-6 days uncut and 2 days after cutting.
- The cake and/or cream cheese can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap well in clingfilm and foil and defrost in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 17g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Protein: 3g
Keywords: cake, snack, carrot, sweet, cream cheese, afternoon tea