This moist carrot cake is not only incredibly easy to make but tastes completely divine.
I've added subtle hints of rosemary and orange to add an extra layer of grown up flavour.
To make it extra special it's been topped with a fresh orange blossom cream cheese frosting and crisp candied carrot curls.
Here's how...
Ingredients
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
150g soft brown sugar
150ml sunflower oil
50g chopped walnuts
200g carrots grated coarsely
3 medium eggs
zest of 2 oranges
juice of 1 orange
1 sprig of rosemary (leaves only) finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g sultanas
Ingredients for the frosting
100g soft butter
300g icing sugar
50g cream cheese
1 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp orange zest
Ingredients for candied carrots
1 large carrot
5 tbsp caster sugar
Method
Pre heat oven to 175c
Add eggs to oil and whisk vigorously to combine, then add sugar and whisk again.
Add flour, baking powder and cinnamon to a large bowl and mix well.
pour egg, oil and sugar mixture over flour and fold through well to combine.
Add carrots, sultanas, zest, juice, chopped walnuts and rosemary and fold through thoroughly.
Pour into a lined tin. (i used a square 20cm tin)
Place in the oven and bake for 50- 60 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the top is golden and springs back to touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
While the cake is cooling you can prep the frosting.
Cream together butter and icing sugar. add cream cheese, zest and orange blossom water and whisk on high for 5 minutes.
cover with cling film and refrigerate.
Candied carrot curls
Using a potato peeler shave long strips from the length of the carrot. (do loads as they are quite fragile and there may be casualties!)
place in a small saucepan and cover in cold water. Add sugar and bring to the boil.
As soon as they are boiling drain, pat dry and lay on a non stick baking sheet or greaseproof paper in smooth long strips. place in the hot 175c oven for around 10 minutes.
As soon as you remove them you'll need to work quickly.... carefully pick each one up and quickly wind around a chopstick or wooden spoon. You'll be amazed how fast they crisp up!
If you find they're crisping too quickly just pop back in the oven for a couple of minutes and start again until you have enough.
Don't worry if some are misshapen, just crush those into flakes and use as crispy sprinkles!
You can use this technique with most root veg... it's especially delicious on beetroot!
Your cake should be cool by now. generously swirl with cream cheese frosting and artfully decorate with candied carrot curls, sprinkles and sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Enjoy!
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