Mary Berry Carrot And Orange Cake

Mary Berry’s Carrot and Orange Cake is made with self-raising flour, sultanas, pecans, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, sunflower oil, brown sugar, and grated carrots. This easy carrot cake recipe creates a delicious dessert that takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.

Ingredients Needed

For the cake:

• 200g / 7oz self-raising flour
• 75g / 3oz sultanas
• 75g / 3oz pecans, roughly broken
• Zest of ½ large orange
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ whole nutmeg, finely grated
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 3 free-range eggs
• 175ml / 6fl oz sunflower oil (plus extra for greasing)
• 175g / 6oz soft light brown sugar
• 200g / 7oz grated carrots

For the cream cheese icing:

• 100g / 3½oz icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 100g / 3½oz unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp fresh orange juice
• 200g / 7oz full-fat cream cheese
• Zest of ½ orange
• 25g / 1oz pecans, roughly broken

How To Make Carrot And Orange Cake

1. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 180°C/160°C (fan)/Gas 4 / 350°F. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square loose-bottomed cake tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sultanas, pecans, orange zest, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt until well combined.
3. Prepare wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add the sunflower oil and light brown sugar, whisking until well combined.
4. Combine mixtures: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until smooth, then fold in the grated carrots.
5. Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is well-risen and feels springy. Test by inserting a skewer into the center – it should come out clean.
6. Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make the icing: Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the softened butter and orange juice, beating until light and creamy. Stir in the cream cheese and orange zest until smooth. Chill the icing in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm enough to spread.
8. Decorate the cake: Once cooled, spread the icing over the cake and sprinkle with broken pecans. Cut into squares and serve.

Recipe Tips

• Grate the carrots finely: Finely grated carrots blend better into the cake batter, ensuring even moisture and texture throughout the cake.
• Use room temperature eggs: This helps the eggs mix more easily with the other ingredients, giving you a smoother batter and a lighter cake.
• Don’t overmix the batter: Stir until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense rather than light and fluffy.
• Chill the icing before spreading: Let the cream cheese icing chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge to firm up. This makes it easier to spread evenly without it running.
• Test for doneness with a skewer: Insert a skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If not, bake for a few more minutes and test again.

How To Store Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover Carrot and Orange Cake cool to room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Freeze: After the cake has cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe container. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the cake in the fridge overnight.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 slice (100g)

• Calories: 396
• Total Fat: 3.7g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 29mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Potassium: 107mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 87.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.6g
• Sugars: 69g
• Protein: 2.4g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Manor House Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Apricot Frangipane Tart
• Mary Berry Chicken Lasagne
• Mary Berry Wheaten Bread Recipe