Carrot Cake & Vanilla Frosting (v)

• 🧑‍🍳 Easy
• ⏱ Prep: 15mins
• 🥘 Bake: 40-60mins
• 🍴 Serves 4-6

First time eating carrot cake was in 2018 when I decided to go vegan and was consciously monitoring my daily calorie intake. I was in the office and fancied having something sweep after my Nando’s lunch. The only cake left was this carrot cake lone ranger and I went for it. I’ve never gone back since.

5 years later and I am a full convert to all the delicious tastiness of this beautiful cake. I bake my own and a 20cm cake tin can last up to 10 days in the fridge. Try this recipe, it’s as simple as ABC.

💡Helpful Tip: Group your ingredients as listed below for a quicker turn around. That is wet, dry and frosting.

Carrot Cake & Vanilla Frosting Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Dry – Fruit and Nut Mix 1

• 10 – 12 carrots, peeled and washed
• 50g pecan nuts
• 100g raisins

Dry – Flour Mix 2

• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 250g self raising flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 4 medium free range eggs 
• 180ml sunflower / olive oil
• 50g softened butter
• 250ml double cream

Frosting Ingredients

• 20ml vanilla flavouring
• 200g soft cheese
• 100g softened butter
• 100ml double cream
• 90g icing sugar
• Pecan nuts, halves

Other Recommendations: Use walnuts instead of pecans.

Carrot Cake & Vanilla Frosting Direction

Frosting Direction

1. In a bowl, add the double cream and whisk thoroughly until fluffy and less runny.
2. Add the soft cheese, butter, vanilla flavouring and icing sugar. Whisk thoroughly until fluffy textured. Use a food processor for faster results.
3. Allow to sit in the fridge for 40 – 60 mins, length of time while carrot cake bakes and cools down.

Carrot Cake Direction

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
2. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.
3. Grate your carrots or feed into a food processor. Remove grated carrots from the bowl and set aside.
4. In a separate process, chop the pecan nuts and set aside.
5. To make our wet ingredient mixture, carefully crack your eggs in a bowl. Whisk until foamy textured. Add your double cream whilst whisking until all the double cream and egg is combined. Slowly add sunflower oil, softened butter and honey to the mix and continue whisking until fully combined.
6. Now add your carrots, pecan nuts and raisins to the wet ingredient mixture.
7. In a separate bowl, pour out the self raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly. 
8. Slowly combine your nuts and egg mixture into the dry mixture if you are whisking by hand. If otherwise, combine the nuts and flour mixture with a food processor or batter mix and mix only gently to avoid disintegrating the raisins, nuts and carrots.
9. Pour batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50 to 60 mins or until the skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
10. Top cooled cake with frosting from the fridge and decorate with pecan halves.

Serving: Plate your cake and pair with tea of choice.

💡Using a food processor would cut your prep time by half. As an avid believer in not staying too long in the kitchen, I regularly use my Ninja 3 in 1 food processor. Other brands include Magimix, Kitchen Aid or Kenwood.