Nigel Slater Carrot Cake

Nigel Slater Carrot Cake is made with self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, sunflower oil, light muscovado sugar, grated carrots, lemon juice, and walnuts. This delicious carrot cake recipe creates a rich and moist dessert that takes about 1 hour to prepare and can serve up to 10 people.

Ingredients Needed:

• 3 Eggs (Separated)
• 250g Self-raising Flour
• ½ Tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• A Pinch Of Salt
• 200ml Sunflower Oil
• 250g Light Muscovado Sugar
• 150g Carrots, Grated
• Juice Of ½ Lemon
• 150g Walnuts, Roughly Chopped

For The Frosting:

• 250g Mascarpone Cheese
• 200g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 150g Unrefined Icing Sugar
• Grated Zest Of 1 Medium Orange
• A Handful Of Walnut Halves For Decoration

How To Make Nigel Slater Carrot Cake:

1. Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Lightly butter two 22cm cake tins and line them with baking parchment.
2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Separate the eggs. In a bowl, sift together the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients: Using a food mixer, beat the sunflower oil and muscovado sugar until well creamed. Gradually add the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the grated carrots, lemon juice, and chopped walnuts.
4. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on a slow speed, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter using a large metal spoon to avoid knocking out the air.
5. Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins, smoothing the tops. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cakes should be moist but not sticky. Let the cakes cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Prepare the Frosting: In an electric mixer, beat together the mascarpone, Philadelphia cream cheese, and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the grated orange zest and mix well.
7. Assemble the Cake: Once the cakes are fully cooled, spread about one-third of the frosting between the two cake layers. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the top with walnut halves.

Recipe Tips

• Use fresh carrots: Grate the carrots just before mixing them into the batter to keep the cake moist and fresh.
• Beat the egg whites gently: Make sure you fold the stiff egg whites into the batter gently to keep the cake light and airy.
• Check with a skewer: Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
• Let the cake cool: Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in their tins before turning them out onto a wire rack. This prevents them from breaking.
• Smooth frosting texture: Beat the frosting until completely smooth for the best consistency when spreading over the cake.

How To Store Leftovers

Storing in the Fridge: Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure it’s well covered to avoid it drying out.

Freezing: Wrap the unfrosted cake layers tightly in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 570
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 36g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sodium: 200mg
• Sugar: 42g

Try More Nigel Slater Recipes:

• Nigel Slater Bread Recipe With Yogurt
• Nigel Slater Sausage Pasta
• Nigel Slater Quince Tart
• Nigel Slater Banana Muffins