Carrot cakes are one of those cakes that can be eaten on any occasion at any time of the day. It can be left un-iced and sliced thickly for lunchtime eating or topped with a butter icing and carved into delicate wedges for that 'High Tea' function. Whatever the time of day or the occasion a good carrot cake is one of life's little joys.
A Quick and Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
Preparation
- The preparation time for this cake is approximately 15 – 18 minute
- Ensure that your workbench is clean.
- A wooden mixing spoon is required
- Ensure that all equipment is clean and that bowls are not chipped or cracked
- To get the best result use only the ingredients listed
- Make sure that the oven has been preheated to 180 Fahrenheit or 350 Centigrade
- The end result will be a carrot cake that is 'Oh so Moist'.
- 125 grams of butter
- ¾ of a cup of sugar (brown is best however raw can be substituted)
- 1 egg
- 2 small carrots that have been finely shredded
- 1 ½ cups of Self raising flour (make sure the flour is fresh and not old as old flour could loose its rising agent) sift the flour
- ¼ cup of milk (full cream) make sure the milk is at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of treacle or golden syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of all spice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees
- Melt the butter and sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl
- Add finely shredded carrot and using the wooden spoon stir until all the ingredients are just blended
- Add the egg and mix in well
- Add treacle or golden syrup
- Stir the sifted flour and spices into the mixture
- Add the room temperature milk and mix lightly
- Bake in a 170 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes ( 30 -35 minutes if the oven is fan forced)
Check to see that the carrot cake has been completely cooked by pressing down lightly on the top of the cake. The cake should spring back quickly and leave no sign of indentation. Another method is to insert a bamboo or metal skewer into the cake, the skewer when pulled out should have no sign of uncooked ingredients, but should be free from any cake mixture.
Icing the Cake
In a clean bowl add 1 cup of icing sugar, 150grams of butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence, with a very small (tiny) amount of water. Cream the ingredients together and when well combined and creamy use a flat edged knife to spread the icing over the cake (make sure that the cake is only slightly warm – this will ensure that the icing flows on smoothly). If the cake is too hot the icing could run, if the cake is too cold the icing will be hard to put on. Chopped walnut pieces can be used, however this is an optional extra and may not be needed.
The end result will be a very moist healthy carrot cake that will wow the taste buds and leave the cook in high demand to make more. As with all recipes the proof is in the pudding or in this case the 'Carrot Cake' and many cooks may choose not to use the walnuts or the butter icing, that's okay as the cake is also perfect without any embellishments.
Parania Wilson - Parania attained her degree with a double major in welfare and sociology then spent a number of years in welfare working in Mental Health, ...
