Best Ever Carrot Cake

Susan, AKA Kiwicook
Susan, AKA Kiwicook

Susan, AKA Kiwicook

In her days as a recipe developer, Susan has created over 450 recipes. Her Dutch and New Zealander roots serve as a basis for her culinary inspiration.

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Best Ever Carrot Cake

Love carrot cake, but been disappointed by how dry and tasteless it can be? Then I’m happy to inform you that this cake is going to satisfy you no end!

Stuffed full of nuts, fruit and carrots (obviously!), this is an incredibly tasty cake. Not only that; it’s insanely moist thanks to its secret ingredient – crushed pineapple (which also happens to be the secret ingredient in this highly popular Christmas cake). Topped off with lashings of cream cheese icing and, trust me when I tell you, you’ve got a bona fide winner.

Eager to get the very best result (given how much I loathe dry carrot cake), I combined a couple of different recipes. I used the basic cake recipe, with its added crushed pineapple, from the good old Edmonds Cook Book (the New Zealand cook’s faithful guide for over 100 years) And, then I borrowed some suggestions for extra spices and flavour enhancing ingredients from the recipe of another of New Zealand’s long-running institutions – Chelsea Sugar. Together, they truly do make the BEST EVER carrot cake (PS: I have rarely, if ever, used the term ‘Best Ever’ – but felt it was justified in this case!).

By the way, ordinarily I’d convert the recipe to gluten-free – simply adding gluten-free flour mix instead of the standard flour (which you can totally do if you choose). On this occasion, however, I used organic Italian flour which, for whatever reason, my gluten-sensitive family and I can tolerate really well. Hey, and by the way, if you do prefer gluten-free AND uber healthy, you might want to check out this version, packed full of nutritious ingredients (other than the frosting, that is)!

Ready to give this ‘best ever’ carrot cake a go? Read on!

Best Ever Carrot Cake 2
Best Ever Carrot Cake 2

BEST EVER CARROT CAKE

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 10 Slices

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar (or you can use raw or coconut sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 3/4 cup rice bran or canola oil
  • 2 cups standard flour (or use gluten-free flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 cups grated carrot
  • 3/4 cup – from a 7.9 oz can – drained unsweetened crushed pineapple in juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup sultanas or raisins
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
  • 1 tbsp grated orange zest use (one medium orange)

For the cream cheese icing:

  • 1.7 oz butter, softened
  • 4.4 oz cream cheese
  • 1-1/2 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

Instructions
 

For the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) cake tin – 6 cm (2.5 inch) deep – and line base and sides with baking paper.
  • Beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla essence for 5 minutes until thick.
  • Add oil and beat for 1 minute.
  • Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices into a large bowl and set aside.
  • Combine carrot, pineapple, walnuts, sultanas, coconut and orange zest. Fold into egg mixture. Then fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
  • Spoon mixture into tin and smooth surface. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (you may find you need to lightly cover the cake with foil part way through the bake once it’s brown enough). Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

For the cream cheese icing:

  • Beat butter and cream cheese together until combined. Stir in icing sugar, then beat mixture on high speed until light and fluffy.
  • Once the cake is cold, spread the cream cheese icing over the surface and decorate as you like (I used chopped dried apricots, chopped pistachios and edible flowers), then serve.

Notes

You might consider wrapping some foil around the outside of the tin during baking, as I found the long bake did dry out the outside out a little. Mind you, some people love that crust!
Keyword Cake, Carrot Cake
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Susan, AKA Kiwicook
About The Author
Susan, also known as the Kiwi Cook, hails from Levin, New Zealand, and has a unique Kiwi-Dutch-British heritage that influenced her culinary upbringing. As an artist, tutor, writer, and editor, Susan dedicates her weekends to creating delectable dishes. Her food philosophy embraces moderation and listening to her body's needs.

Comments

  1. I had guest over today and I’ve made a few of your cakes and they are all favourites and have been hits. Today I made the carrot cake with extra icing for the sides. I over cooked it a little but it was still moist and got rave reviews. I was told best carrot cake they have ever had!! My 5yr old however, she liked the icing. Thank you Susan your recipes are never a let down!!

    Reply
    • Wow, Kirsty, that is wonderful to hear! So glad it worked so well for you and thrilled to hear you’ve tried other cakes successfully as well! You’ve made my day!

      Reply

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