Classic Bakes: Carrot Cake

If I desperately want a cake but don’t want to indulge in the calories, I choose carrot cake telling myself it’s healthy. “Hey it’s got carrots in it so it must be…somewhat healthy”. I love carrot cakes that are full of character in regards to; spice, nuts, fruit and densely moist. I've tried and tested over 5 different carrot cake recipes and have adapted them to make this one that I really love and make when I'm craving a good slice of cake with my afternoon cups of tea.


This frosting recipe is also not too sickly sweet and stores well in the refrigerator.I decided to make one mini cake and a few muffins with this recipe.  

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 muffins or 24 cm cake pan

(Adapted from Women’s Weekly - MIX and Bill Granger – Bill’s Basics)

Carrot Cake / Muffins

1 ½ cups (225g) self-raising flour

1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons mixed spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup (125ml) light flavoured oil, (bran, sunflower)

3 eggs

2 cups (480g) firmly packed coarsely grated carrot

½ cup roughly chopped walnuts

½ cup raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting

250g cream cheese, softened

30g unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

125g icing sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line muffin tray or cake pan.

Combine sifted flours, sugar, spice, oil and eggs until mixed thoroughly. Stir in grated carrots, nuts and raisins. Fill muffin trays ¾ full or fill cake pan. Bake for approximately 30mins and test with skewer. Cakes may need an additional 10mins. Turn onto a rack to cool.

For the cream cheese frosting; beat together cream cheese, butter and extract until smooth and creamy. Gradually add in icing sugar until mixed though.