The Classic Carrot Cake

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Who doesn’t like an indulgent slice of classic carrot cake with a rich cream cheese frosting?

Yield: 12 Servings
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Difficulty Level: 1/5

Ingredients

  • 2 cups walnut halves
  • 2½ cups self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsps ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups raw sugar
  • 5 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1¼ cups vegetable oil
  • 4 cups coarsely grated carrot
  • ½ cup well-drained crushed pineapple
  • Fresh, unsprayed flowers, extra walnuts and lemon rind, to serve

For cream cheese frosting

  • 185 g unsalted butter
  • 185 g cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2¼ cups icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind

Steps

01. Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grease a 25-cm square cake pan. Line the base and sides with baking paper.

02. Spread nuts on an oven tray. Bake for about 7 mins or until fragrant and browned lightly. Chop nuts coarsely.

03. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, eggs and oil, then the carrot, pineapple and walnuts until well combined.

04. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 to 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

05. To prepare cream cheese frosting, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a small bowl with an electric mixer for about 3 mins, or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar, then rind, until well combined.

Photos from Pixabay

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