carrot cake
Another bestseller at the Hummingbird, this carrot cake is moist and full of flavor. You can vary how finely you chop the nuts for the cake, and pecans or walnuts can be substituted freely. For an extra-special touch, decorate the top with mini carrots—these can either be formed by hand using marzipan or piped on using orange buttercream frosting.
- 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1¼ cups sunflower oil
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to decorate
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 10 oz. (about 3) carrots, grated
- ⅔ shelled walnuts, chopped, plus extra, chopped and whole, to decorate
- 2 quantities Cream Cheese Frosting
three 8-inch cake pans, baselined with parchment paper
Makes 10–12 slices
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Put the sugar, eggs, and oil in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated (don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly split). Slowly add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and vanilla and continue to beat until well mixed.
Stir in the grated carrots and walnuts by hand until they are all evenly dispersed.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown and the cake bounces back when touched. Let the cake layers cool slightly in the pans before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake layers are cold, put one on a cake stand and spread about one-quarter of the Cream Cheese Frosting over it with a palette knife. Place a second layer on top and spread another quarter of the frosting over it. Top with the last layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. Finish with walnuts and a light sprinkling of cinnamon.