If carrot cake went on holiday to the Mediterranean and came back sun-kissed and a little zesty — this would be the result. Mary Berry’s Carrot and Orange Cake is basically your favourite cozy bake but with a citrusy glow-up. It’s like carrot cake said, “Let’s freshen things up!” and invited a can of mandarin oranges to the party.
The best part? It’s gloriously moist, easy to throw together, and just fancy enough to serve at brunch without anyone suspecting how simple it really was. Let’s bake, shall we?
Ingredients List
- 3 cups all-purpose flour — sifted for a lighter crumb.
- 2 cups white sugar — you could reduce it, but then it’s just salad with icing.
- 2 ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon — don’t skip this, it’s the backbone of warmth.
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg — just a whisper of spice.
- 2 cups shredded carrots — packed loosely, not jammed in.
- 1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained — I snack on the extras if there are any.
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil — keeps everything wonderfully moist.
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp grated orange zest — zest first, then juice. Never the other way round!
How to Make It (Instructions)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a big mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- Stir in the carrots and drained mandarin oranges. It might look a bit odd at this stage — trust the process.
- In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir gently, just until the flour disappears. Don’t overmix, or the cake will sulk and go dense.
- Divide the batter evenly between your pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops spring back like polite sponge.
- Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Slather with cream cheese frosting (bonus points for orange zest whipped in) and decorate with orange segments, zest, or chopped pecans if you fancy.
Common Mistakes
Why is my cake dry?
Overbaking is the culprit. Start checking around 25 minutes and don’t trust your timer blindly.
Can I skip draining the mandarins?
Nope — unless you want carrot pudding. Too much juice throws off the balance.
Why does my cake taste oily?
Make sure your oil is fresh. Stale oil = off-flavour, every time.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
It probably wasn’t fully baked when you took it out. Test in the centre with a skewer.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Fridge:
Wrap slices or the whole cake tightly. Keeps moist for 5 days — maybe longer if it’s not devoured by then.
Freezer:
Wrap well in cling film and foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
To Reheat:
- Microwave: 10–15 seconds per slice. Ignore that “4–6 minutes” nonsense — unless you’re baking it twice.
- Oven: Wrapped in foil, heat at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
What to Serve With It
- Cream cheese frosting — the obvious soulmate.
- Vanilla ice cream — for that hot/cold magic.
- Citrus tea or a cheeky glass of dessert wine — adds contrast to the cake’s sweetness
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use fresh oranges instead of canned mandarins?
Yes — just remove the membranes and chop them finely. They’ll add a fresher zing.
Do I need to peel the carrots?
Yes. The skins can be bitter and don’t soften much in baking.
Can I make this into cupcakes?
Absolutely! Bake at the same temp for 18–22 minutes.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Yes, take it down by ½ cup if needed, but the texture may change slightly. Taste before adjusting.
Try More Mary Berry Recipes:
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 447 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 81mg
- Sodium: 207mg
- Potassium: 145mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 40g
- Vitamin A: 3300IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 46mg
- Iron: 1mg
Mary Berry Carrot And Orange Cake
Description
Mary Berry’s Carrot and Orange Cake, made with flour, sugar, spices, carrots, mandarin oranges, and eggs, serves 8. Mixing and baking take about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s a moist, flavorful cake perfect for any occasion or as a delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.
- Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Stir in shredded carrots and mandarin oranges.
- In a separate bowl, whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir gently until just mixed.
- Divide batter between pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
. - Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool fully.
- Frost and decorate as desired