Baking this cake, I couldn't have worked myself into a bigger tangle, if I tried. Ingredients and utensils strewn over every inch of bench space. Flour and sugar sprinkled about. Washing up piled high in both kitchen sinks. It was a right mess. And I don't even like carrot cake! However, I know that my Mama does and this cake was to take to her place. She is forever making us batches of bikkies and I enjoy returning the favour every so often. But I AM a sucker for cream cheese frosting and when I spied this recipe with a little splash of lemon, I was mildly swayed. That and the fact the recipe came straight out of my Women's Weekly COOK bible, which never fails to deliver the goods.
It didn't disappoint this time either. Producing a really yummy cake (despite baking it in a tin waaay too small for the amount of mixture, which just resulted in an extra tall creation!), that has altered my former opinion, for the better. I have always wondered what business a vegetable has getting involved with the likes of cake anyway. According to the facts column in COOK, carrot cake is an adaptation of carrot pudding, popular during the 18th & 19th centuries in the UK. Who'd of thought!?
It didn't disappoint this time either. Producing a really yummy cake (despite baking it in a tin waaay too small for the amount of mixture, which just resulted in an extra tall creation!), that has altered my former opinion, for the better. I have always wondered what business a vegetable has getting involved with the likes of cake anyway. According to the facts column in COOK, carrot cake is an adaptation of carrot pudding, popular during the 18th & 19th centuries in the UK. Who'd of thought!?
Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups (300g) firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups firmly packed, coarsely grated carrot
1 cup (110g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 1/2 cups (375g) self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons mixed spice
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
30g butter, softened
80g cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups (240g) icing sugar
Preheat oven to moderate (180/160 degrees fan forced)
Grease deep 22cm-round cake tin; line base with baking paper
Beat oil, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy
Transfer mixture to large bowl; using wooden spoon, stir in carrot and nuts then sifted dry ingredients
Pour mixture into tin. Bake, uncovered, about 1 1/4 hours
Stand cake 5 minutes then turn onto wire rack; turn cake top-side up to cool
Make lemon cheese frosting
Spread cold cake with lemon cheese frosting
Lemon Cheese Frosting
Beat butter, cream cheese and rind in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy
Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar until frosting is of a spreadable consistency
Yes - carrot cake wouldn't be top of my dessert list. Probably something to do with the lack of cocoa or chocolate. But yours does look good.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet your Mum enjoyed every bite knowing the care and carnage that went into it.
:-)
good lord, that cake has me literally salivating! I love love LOVE carrot cake, its my favourite!! Just discovered your blog, now following along on your adventures!!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm...now I'm hungry...it's only breakfast time...too early for cake? No I don't think it's ever too early for cake! That looks delish and i'm with you on that one, I was never a big fan of carrot cake, but the icing gets me every time! Thanks for sharing the recipe & history. Alison xx
ReplyDeleteYou always seem to bake the most delicious things! Looks so yummy - cream cheese icing is the devil however. It never seems to make it onto my cakes as I spoon most of it directly into my mouth! A piece in the mail please???!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Julie, that cake looks amazing! I bet your mum will be tickled pink knowing you baked a cake, made a big mess, and have NO intention of eating it.
ReplyDeleteNow, that's true love!
(It does look truly delicious - I love carrot cake, but now I'm wondering why I'd like a vegetable in my cake?)
You make me giggle!
xx
Yum yum yum! i would love a nice big slice of that right about now! So nice of you to make it for your mum. xx
ReplyDeleteCarrot cake is a much more appealing thought than carrot pudding!
ReplyDeleteI quite like carrot cake, and zucchini and walnut and beetroot and chocolate. Yep I really like veggies in my cakes :)
I'm going to try your recipe soon!
xx
Love cake as you know, so I will have to try this one it looks great! thanks my friend for sharing another really yummy recipe with us
ReplyDeleteAlways Wendy