Carrot cake

Ingredients

• 720 gplain flour
• 15 gbaking powder
• 1 pinchsalt
• 4 gground cinnamon
• 2.5 gcocoa powder
• 450 geggs
• 30 ggranulated sucralose
• 750 gfinely grated carrot
• 40 graisins
• 40 gchopped walnuts
• 15 mlvanilla extract
• 15 mloil
• 200 gmelted butter
• 270 glow-fat cream cheese
• 6 ggranulated sucralose
• 18small icing carrots

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line three baking trays with baking parchment.

2. 2

   Sift the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and cocoa powder into a bowl, then set aside.

3. 3

   Mix the batter

   Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with 30 g granulated sucralose until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until a batter forms, then mix in the grated carrot, raisins, walnuts, vanilla extract and oil. Finally, add the melted butter a little at a time, beating continuously until fully incorporated; the batter should be thick and even.

4. 4

   Bake the sponges

   Divide the batter between the three trays and spread it out with a spatula, smoothing the surface. Bake the sponges for 15 minutes, then take them out and leave them to cool.

5. 5

   Cut the discs

   Turn out the cooled sponges and remove the baking parchment. Use a biscuit cutter to cut six discs from each tray, making 18 discs in total, and set them aside.

6. 6

   Make the topping

   Beat the cream cheese with 6 g granulated sucralose until smooth and creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a nozzle.

7. 7

   Layer the cakes

   Arrange six carrot sponge discs on a work surface and pipe small rosettes of icing over each one. Place another disc on top of each, add more icing in the same way, then finish with the remaining six sponge discs.

8. 8

   Decorate and serve

   Decorate the cakes with the icing carrots and serve.

What are carrot cakes?

Carrot cake is a sweet bake in which grated carrot adds moisture and a mild sweetness, often paired with warm spices and a cream cheese topping. Carrots have long been used in sweet baking, while the familiar spiced cake is now made in many styles.

Here, thin sponge sheets are cut into discs and stacked into six individual cakes. Cinnamon, walnuts and raisins give the layers extra flavour and texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1010 calories, 28g protein, 114g carbs, 49g fat.

The flour, carrots and raisins contribute most of the carbohydrates, while butter, oil and cream cheese account for much of the fat. Eggs, cream cheese, walnuts and flour provide the protein. Pair a cake with fresh fruit, or serve it after a meal with vegetables and a source of protein to balance the plate.

The grated carrot

Fine grating: use finely grated carrot as specified so it disperses through the batter and softens during the short bake. Coarser pieces may leave a more uneven texture in these thin sponges.

Moisture: if the carrot is especially wet, let excess liquid drain briefly before mixing it in. Avoid squeezing it completely dry, as the carrot helps keep the sponge tender.

Mixing a thick batter

Eggs first: beat the eggs and sucralose until pale and fluffy to incorporate air before adding the heavier ingredients. Mix in the flour gradually to help prevent dry pockets.

Butter last: pour in the melted butter gradually while mixing, rather than adding it all at once. Stop once it is incorporated and the batter looks uniform.

Baking and cutting

Even layers: divide the batter evenly between the three lined trays and smooth it into a level layer. This helps the sheets bake at a similar rate and makes the discs easier to stack.

Doneness: the method gives a 15-minute bake, but check that the sponge is set before removing it. Let each sheet cool before cutting so the discs are less likely to tear.

Building the layers

Icing rosettes: pipe small, even dots across each disc so the topping reaches the surface without squeezing out too heavily at the edges. Keep the layers level as you stack them.

Assembly: each finished cake uses three sponge discs, with icing between the layers. The six discs left after the first two groups form the top layers.

Serving ideas

Serve the individual cakes as they are, with tea or coffee. Their cream cheese topping and sweet, spiced sponge make them suitable for a dessert table or a gathering.

For a less rich plate, add fresh fruit alongside. If making them ahead, keep the assembled cakes chilled until shortly before serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Weigh the batter into the three trays to divide it evenly.
• Line the trays fully so the thin sponge sheets release cleanly.
• Let the sponges cool completely before cutting out the discs.
• Use a cutter with a sharp edge for neater, less crumbly rounds.
• Pipe the icing in small, evenly spaced rosettes to help the layers sit level.

Variations

• More spice: add a little ground ginger alongside the cinnamon.
• Pecan swap: use chopped pecans in place of the walnuts.
• Citrus note: mix finely grated orange zest into the sponge batter.
• Extra fruit: replace some of the raisins with chopped dried apricots.
• Plain finish: leave off the icing carrots and decorate with a few walnut pieces.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven tray layers: divide the batter carefully and smooth each tray so the sheets bake consistently.
• Overmixing: stop as soon as the ingredients are incorporated to avoid a tougher sponge.
• Warm sponge: wait until the sheets are fully cool before cutting, or the discs may break.
• Too much icing: pipe small rosettes rather than a thick layer so the cakes remain stable.
• Uneven stacks: centre each disc over the one below and keep the icing spread consistent.

How to store

Keep the assembled cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring them out shortly before serving; avoid leaving the cream cheese topping at room temperature for extended periods.

Frequently asked questions