Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
It is that time of year when everything starts ramping up and things get a little hectic. So, I thought I would share one of my all time favourite comfort food recipes. There is also something special about making a big cake to share with others, it gives you the warm and fuzzies.
This classic recipe is simple and a little old school, but also a crowd favourite. I believe you should not mess too much with a recipe such as carrot cake, which has stood the test of time and warmed many hearts along the way.
However, enjoying a slab of this delicious cake for a cheeky breakfast is one guilty pleasure of mine, so I did make a couple of slight nutritional changes while retaining the flavour and texture we all know and love.
Make this moist and delicious carrot cake to take into your workplace, for a family afternoon tea or for a picnic with friends. It is sure to bring a smile to their faces and it will show how much you ‘carrot’ about them! There is nothing better than a hunk of carrot cake and a cup of tea to brighten your day.
SERVES: 8
PREP: 20 MINS
COOK TIME: 60-70 MINS
INGREDIENTS LIST:
CAKE
2 ½ cups of wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp. bi-carb soda
2 tsp. mixed spice
1 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup apple sauce
½ cup milk
3 medium carrots, grated
ICING
500g cream cheese
½ cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon rind
¼ cup toasted walnut pieces
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
Sift flour, bi-carb soda and spice into a large bowl, tip the husks from the flour into the mix and whisk together. Add coconut sugar and stir through.
In another bowl whisk together eggs, oil, apple sauce and milk. Add this mixture to the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined, add grated carrot and stir through.
Pour into prepared tin and bake in oven for 60-70 minutes or until golden brown on top and a skewer or knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.
For icing, place cream cheese, maple syrup, lemon juice and lemon rind into a bowl and combine with an electric beater until fluffy. Once the cake is completely cool, slice in half horizontally and spread a layer of icing in the middle of the base. Next, return the top layer and cover the whole cake with a layer of icing. Finally, sprinkle toasted walnuts on top.
