Wednesday 6 February 2013

Carrot and Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The cheats' cake is what I call it - Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. It is the most easiest and foolproof cake ever; yet, the cake is very moist, dense and delicious. It is perfect as a celebration cake or a slice cake to share with your friends over coffee. Packed with carrots and walnuts, it is also a nutritious cake that your family will fall in love with.

There are a few variations you can follow for the recipe. Please see notes.

 
Makes: 1 x 8 inch round cake cake or 1 x20 cm square cake
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes
Recipe Source: Super Food Ideas Magazine, Oct 2009
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 2 cups sifted self-raising flour, measured after sifting
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups grated carrot
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • Extra walnuts, chopped, to decorate
For the frosting
  • 125g cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
  • 2 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
  • 2/3 cup icing sugar mixture
Method
For the cake
1. Pre-heat fan-forced oven to 160°C. Grease and line cake pan with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl. Beat sugar, oil and eggs until creamy using a electric mixer. Add sifted flour mixture and continue beating until well incorporated. Fold in grated carrots and chopped walnuts. Spread into prepared pan and bake in oven for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
3. Beat cream cheese and lemon rind using an electric mixer, until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Decorate with walnuts.
This cake should be kept in a tightly closed container in a refrigerator.

Notes
1. Use 1/4 cup of oil + 3/4 cup of milk instead of 1 cup of oil for a healthier version of the cake.
2. Substitute walnuts with pecans for a different taste.

25 comments:

  1. walnut and cream cheese looks like you read my mind well :) lovely combination and looks so moist :) can i take that piece?

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  2. Dear is that 1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar? Love carrot and walnut combo.....

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    1. Thanks for pointing that out Arthy. Have corrected it...

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  3. awesome cake..love to have a bite :)

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  4. These look so moist and delicious! Love carrot cake..

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  5. Awesome it looks perfect moist walnuts must have made it super crunchy too

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  6. Luvly cake...looks so delicious and inviting..wud luv to have a bite.

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  7. Looks so soft and very tempting dear.

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  8. Carrot cake + cream cheese topping is the perfect way to go.

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  9. That cake looks simply too tempting..

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  10. Have tried carrots & walnuts together,pairs well..Adding cream cheese makes it scrumptious:)
    Love to see your recipe linked up in Flavors Of Cuisines-"Mexican"

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  11. yummy cake,adding of walnuts must be a great idea...seems like it is bit crunchy

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  12. that's a very yummy cake... glad to be your new follower... :)
    http://sweettoothraf.blogspot.com

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  13. Wow....cake looks gorgeous... Very tempting da....

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  14. wow what a nice tempting cake. resolution is out of the window if i have this cake in front of me. too sad you are seven seas across.

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  15. Wow that looks super soft and moist dear...Super delicious cake :)

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  16. It's been ages since I made a carrot cake, so I'm really craving it now. Fantastic cake & tempting clicks!

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  17. Isn't it the best combination in the world ! :)

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  18. Wow, the frosting above is melting in the pic, just so tempting. I only wish somebody makes this for me, so that i can just gorge on!!
    Lovely recipe & pic.

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