Cooling and Decorating Time: 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Total Time: 2 hourshours25 minutesminutes
Servings: 12slices
Author: Jane's Patisserie
Ingredients
Cake
225mlsunflower oil
5mediumeggs
275glight brown sugar
300ggrated carrots
100graisins optional
Zest of 1 orange
275gself raising flour
1.5tspbicarbonate of soda
2tspmixed spice
1tspground ginger
1tspground cinnamon
100gwalnuts/chopped pecansoptional
Buttercream/Decoration
250gunsalted butterroom temperature
500gicing sugar
1tspvanilla extract
1 - 3tbspboiling water
Chopped nuts
Carrot shapes/sprinkles
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan
Grease & line two 8" cake tins with parchment paper
Pour the sunflower oil and eggs into a large bowl and add the light brown sugar
Mix lightly and combine
Add the grated carrots and raisins (if using) and orange zest and fold through to combine
Add the self raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, ginger, and cinnamon and mix again - try not to over mix!
Once combined, fold through the nuts (if using) and pour into the prepared tins
Bake the cakes in the oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked through (test with a cake tester, should be clean!)
Leave to cool in the tin
Buttercream
Beat the unsalted butter for a couple of minutes so its very smooth in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment
Gradually add the icing sugar until all combined and beat on a high speed for a couple of minutes
Once mixed, add the vanilla extract and mix again
Whilst mixing, gradually add the boiling water until you reach your desired consistency
Beat for another 5 minutes so its super light and fluffy
Place one of your sponges onto the plate you're using, spread half of the buttercream on top, add the other sponge, and spread the rest of the buttercream on
Decorate to your desire
ENJOY!
Notes
I prefer my carrot cake with just buttercream in-between and on top of the layers, but there is enough buttercream to spread it around the edges slightly too.
You don't have to include the nuts, or the raisins, but I would recommend using at least one of them as the flavour is so delicious!
This cake will last 4 days covered at room temperature!