Winter sunshine cake
This carrot cake has now become what I make each Christmas. I am going to make an argument that it should be your Christmas cake, or even your dessert on Christmas Day. While I like Christmas fruitcake, it’s not what I want with a cup of tea or a glass of fizzy wine. I eat it thinly sliced in place of crackers with cheese. It’s a divisive cake and I think whatever cake you make around this time of year should be loved by all.
This carrot cake will be. It’s a cake that manages to feel bright and fresh tasting at the same time as feeling rich and festive. It’s hit with grated fresh ginger and fresh turmeric (though you could use ground turmeric too), which brings the sunny brightness. There is, of course, carrot, but there is also apple which brings a sharpness that means it’s not too sweet. There is brown sugar which gives it a grounding molasses note, and a little bit of cinnamon for just enough festive feeling. It’s iced with the simplest mascarpone icing with a decent hit of lime.
The cake is good to eat just iced at room temperature but it’s also good cold from the fridge (a la Alison Roman). I was deeply unconvinced about cold carrot cake but as the mascarpone icing needs the fridge, I gave it a try with a big wedge leftover from testing. I am converted. The coolness totally changes the cake, the crumb becomes more fudgy and the icing stiffer, it’s an altogether different cake cold but still a very good one.
- Duration
- 1hr +
- Serves
- 10 - 14
Ingredients
For the cake
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g dark brown sugar
- 4 organic eggs
- 400ml sunflower or vegetable oil
- 300g carrots, peeled and grated
- 100g apple, grated
- a small thumb fresh ginger (20g), finely grated
- a small thumb fresh turmeric 10g), finely grated or a ½ a teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 350g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the topping
- 400g mascarpone or cream cheese
- zest of 2 limes
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
Turn on the oven
Preheat your oven to 170C (fan) and grease and line 2 x 23cm round springform cake tins.
Whisk the sugar and eggs
Use a stand mixer or a hand whisk to whip 200g of caster and 200g of dark brown sugar with the 4 eggs until light golden brown and airy, this should take about 2-3 minutes. Then gradually add the 400ml of sunflower oil bit by bit whisking as you go until you have a light smooth batter. Mix in the grated 300g grated carrot, 100g grated apple, and grated thumb of both fresh ginger and turmeric.
Mix the dry ingredients
Put the 350g plain flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into another bowl and use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients to break up any clumps of baking powder or spice.
Finish the batter and bake
Then fold this flour mixture into the carrot mixture. Divide the batter evenly between the tins, you should get about 800g in each tin if you want to be precise. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Make the icing
Whisk 400g of mascarpone or cream cheese with the zest of two limes then add the 100g icing sugar and whisk for a minute or so until you have thick lime speckled icing.
Ice the cake
Allow the cake to cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cool put one of the cakes on the plate or stand you would like to serve it on. Put about ⅓ of the icing on top and use a spatula to spread the icing over the cake. Carefully put the other cake on top and spoon on the rest of the icing, use your spatula to create peaks and waves of icing. Top with candied citrus or any decorations you like.
There's a video of me icing mine for inspiration here.
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