Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 75 g (½ cup)golden raisins
• 40 g (¼ cup)chopped candied ginger (crystallised ginger)
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, or orange juice if you prefer not to use alcohol
• 400 g (2 cups)sugar
• 355 ml (1½ cups)vegetable oil
• 4 largeeggs
• 250 g (2 cups)plain flour
• 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
• 2 teaspoonsbicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoonground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoonground ginger
• 300 g (3 cups; about 450 g before peeling)peeled, grated carrots
• 2 × 227 g (2 × 8-ounce packages)cream cheese, at room temperature
• 113 g (½ cup; 1 stick)unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)vanilla bean crème fraîche or vanilla yoghurt
• 1 teaspoonvanilla powder or extract
• Zest of 1orange, grated
• 360 g (3 cups)icing sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pans

   Heat the oven to 160°C. Lightly coat three 23 cm (9-inch) cake tins with non-stick baking spray. Line their bases with waxed paper and lightly spray the paper.

2. 2

   Soak the fruit

   Mix the raisins, candied ginger and Grand Marnier in a small bowl, then set aside.

3. 3

   Beat sugar and oil

   Use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and vegetable oil together in a bowl until combined.

4. 4

   Add the eggs

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

5. 5

   Sift dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger into a large bowl.

6. 6

   Combine the batter

   With the mixer on a low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture.

7. 7

   Fold in additions

   Stir in the carrots and the raisin mixture.

8. 8

   Divide the batter

   Pour the batter into the prepared tins, dividing it equally between them.

9. 9

   Bake the layers

   Bake for about 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the tins.

10. 10

    Cool the cakes

    Leave the cakes in their tins on cooling racks for 15 minutes. Turn them out onto the racks, remove the waxed paper and leave them to cool completely.

11. 11

    Make the frosting

    Using an electric mixer, beat all the frosting ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

12. 12

    Frost the first layer

    Place one cake layer on a serving platter and spread it with ¾ cup of frosting.

13. 13

    Stack the second layer

    Add another cake layer and spread it with a further ¾ cup of frosting.

14. 14

    Finish the cake

    Top with the final cake layer, then spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides.

15. 15

    Chill before serving

    Keep the cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

What is carrot cake?

Carrot cake is a familiar American-style layer cake in which grated carrots bring moisture and sweetness to a warmly spiced batter. This version layers in raisins and candied ginger, then finishes with a cream cheese frosting.

The carrots and oil help keep the crumb tender, while the ginger and orange liqueur give the fruit a lively, fragrant note. Three thin layers also make room for frosting between each slice of cake.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 827 calories, 7g protein, 90g carbs, 50g fat.

The cake's carbohydrates mainly come from the sugar, flour, carrots, raisins and icing sugar; the oil, butter and cream cheese provide most of the fat, while eggs and cream cheese contribute some protein. Balance a slice with fresh fruit, or serve a smaller piece after a meal with a lighter main course.

Prepare the fruit and carrots

Fruit soak: Tossing the raisins and candied ginger with the liqueur before adding them distributes their flavour through the batter. Orange juice can be used instead if you prefer to avoid alcohol.

Carrots: Grate peeled carrots finely enough to mix evenly into the batter, but avoid turning them into a wet purée. Measure the grated amount for the recipe.

Build an even batter

Dry ingredients: Sifting the flour with the raising agents, salt and spices helps distribute them evenly. Add this mixture gradually with the mixer on low so the batter does not become overworked.

Eggs: Add each egg separately and beat well before adding the next. This helps the eggs combine with the sugar and oil rather than leaving the mixture uneven.

Check the layers for doneness

Timing: Begin checking at about 45 minutes, as specified in the method. The exact time can vary with the tins and oven.

Doneness: A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean, and the cake edges should just start to pull away from the tins. Cool the layers fully before frosting so the icing stays in place.

Make smooth cream cheese frosting

Room-temperature ingredients: Softened cream cheese and butter beat together more smoothly than cold ingredients. Beat the frosting until creamy, scraping the bowl if needed to bring in any unmixed patches.

Icing sugar: Add it in a way that keeps the mixture contained in the bowl, then beat until the frosting is smooth. Vanilla and orange zest round out its flavour.

Stack and serve

Layering: Spread ¾ cup of frosting over each of the first two layers, then use what remains to cover the top and sides. Set each cake layer down gently to help keep the stack level.

Serving: The cake is rich, so a modest slice pairs well with fresh berries or another tart fruit. Chill it until serving time, then allow a little time for the frosting to soften slightly on the plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature so they blend into a smooth frosting.
• Divide the batter evenly between the three tins for layers that bake at a similar rate.
• Use a kitchen scale to portion the batter if you want more even cake layers.
• Let the cake layers cool completely before assembling to prevent the frosting from softening.
• Chill the assembled cake before slicing for neater portions.

Variations

• Use orange juice: Swap it for the Grand Marnier to keep the citrus note without the liqueur.
• Change the dried fruit: Replace the golden raisins with an equal amount of another raisin variety.
• Adjust the ginger: Use less candied ginger for a milder, less chewy addition.
• Add toasted nuts: Fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for crunch.
• Use vanilla yoghurt: Choose it instead of vanilla bean crème fraîche in the frosting.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven layers: Divide the batter as evenly as possible so all three cakes finish baking together.
• Overmixing: Once the flour is added, mix on low and stop when the batter is combined.
• Cold frosting ingredients: Let the cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature before beating.
• Frosting warm cake: Cool the layers completely first so the frosting does not melt.
• Guessing doneness by time alone: Check with a skewer and look for the edges to begin pulling away.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate the frosted cake because its icing contains cream cheese. Keep it chilled until serving; for the best texture, let slices stand briefly at room temperature before eating. The recipe does not specify a storage duration.

Frequently asked questions