Carrot Cake
There’s something special about a well-loved recipe, the kind that gets passed down through generations. This carrot cake comes straight from my mother-in-law, Judy, and has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember.
It’s beautifully moist, packed with warm spices, sweet carrots, and crunchy walnuts or pecans, all topped off with a lusciously smooth cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re baking for a celebration or just because, this cake has a way of making any day feel extra special. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Carrot Cake
If you’re looking for the perfect carrot cake recipe, this is the one. The kind of cake that disappears almost as soon as it’s served. With its soft, tender crumb, just the right amount of spice and a dreamy cream cheese frosting, it’s hard to stop at one slice! Best of all, it stays deliciously moist for days—if it lasts that long!
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon Parisian essence (optional)
- 1 ½ cups grated carrot
- 75g packet walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 cups icing mixture
- 125g Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 60g unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat & prepare the tin: Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan-forced. Grease and line a ring tin (you can also use a square or round tin, but the baking time may need adjusting).
- Process the carrot & nuts: Lightly blitz the carrot in the food processor, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the walnuts/pecans.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour, caster sugar, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice to the processor and pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the vegetable oil and eggs, then blitz until smooth.
- Incorporate the carrot & nuts: Add the carrot and walnuts/pecans and pulse briefly until just combined—avoid overmixing.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Preheat & prepare the tin: Preheat the oven to 160ºC fan-forced. Grease and line a ring tin.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice, then stir in the caster sugar.
- Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the vegetable oil and eggs, then stir until just combined.
- Fold in the carrot & nuts: Gently mix in the grated carrot and chopped walnuts/pecans until evenly distributed.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the tin before transferring it upside down onto a serving plate.
- Sift the icing mixture into a food processor (or mixing bowl if using electric beaters).
- Blend until smooth: Add the cream cheese, lemon zest, and butter, then blitz (or beat) until smooth and creamy.
- Chill & frost: For best results, chill the cake overnight before frosting. Once frosted, refrigerate for a short time before serving to let the flavours settle.
Notes
- Make it extra moist: Add ½ cup of crushed pineapple to the batter.
- Spice it up: Swap mixed spice for cinnamon and nutmeg for a warmer flavour.
- Nut-free version: Simply leave out the nuts for an allergy-friendly cake.
- Add some crunch: Sprinkle toasted coconut, lemon zest, dehydrated lemons or extra nuts on top of the frosting.
- Lighter option: Use Greek yogurt instead of some of the oil to reduce the fat content while keeping it moist.
- Storage: This cake stays moist for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
448Fat
32 gSat. Fat
9 gCarbs
47 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
46 gSugar
25 gProtein
4 gSodium
216 mgCholesterol
49 mgThe nutritional information provided is computer generated and is only an estimate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
