Nigella Wholemeal Carrot Cake

There’s something about carrot cake that just feels good.
Nigella’s Wholemeal Carrot Cake takes that old-school feeling and makes it even better: hearty, nutty, sweet but not cloying.
It’s the sort of cake you can eat for breakfast, not just pudding — and nobody’s judging.

Made this on a grey Sunday with a strong coffee.
By mid-afternoon, half of it had mysteriously disappeared. Not sorry.

Why You’ll Love It

• Full of real flavour — carrots, spices, nuts
• Wholemeal flour makes it feel almost virtuous
• Moist, soft crumb that stays tender for days
• Smells like a proper bakery when it’s in the oven
• Easy, forgiving batter — no stress baking

Nigella Wholemeal Carrot Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots* (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup raw pecan or walnut halves
• ¾ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil** or melted coconut oil
• 1 ¼ cups maple syrup or honey
• 1 cup milk of choice
• 4 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Double batch classic cream cheese frosting or naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting

How to Make Nigella’s Wholemeal Carrot Cake

1. Oven on: 350°F (175°C).
   Grease and line two 9-inch cake tins.
2. Toast your nuts in the oven for about 5 minutes — till they smell amazing.
   Chop roughly. Save a few for sprinkling later if you’re feeling fancy.
3. Big bowl.
   Mix the flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, baking soda.
4. Chuck in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Give it a quick stir.
5. Another bowl.
   Mix the oil, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla together.
6. Pour the wet into the dry. Stir until just combined — no heavy beating.
   It’ll look thick. Good.
7. Divide the batter between your two tins.
   Level it out.
8. Bake 45–50 mins.
   Poke the centre — it should spring back lightly. Toothpick test works too.
9. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool fully.
10. Frost thickly with cream cheese frosting.
    Stack one on top of the other if you fancy, or keep them side by side for easy slicing.
11. Scatter the leftover nuts over the top.
    Slice. Eat. Repeat.

Common Mistakes to Dodge

• Overmixing: tough cake. Stir just until it comes together.
• Skipping the nut toasting: makes a huge difference to flavour.
• Dry cake: if in doubt, underbake slightly — it finishes setting as it cools.

What to Serve It With

• Cold thick cream or ice cream
• Hot tea or strong black coffee
• A big grin and an extra fork in case you go back for seconds

Storage and Leftovers

• Fridge: Airtight container, up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Slice, wrap, freeze up to 3 months.
  (Thaw in the fridge overnight.)

Reheat if you like — low oven or a short microwave blast to warm through.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use all regular whole wheat flour?
Yeah, but it’ll be a bit heavier. Still lush though.

My batter looks thick — is that right?
Yep. Thick batter = moist cake. Trust the process.

Can I swap maple syrup for honey?
Definitely. Will taste slightly different — a little richer and deeper.

Do I need cream cheese frosting?
Need? No. Should you? Absolutely.

More Nigella Recipe:

• Nigella Genoise Sponge
• Nigella Italian Apple Pie
• Nigella Chocolate Cherry Cake

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 309 kcal
• Fat: 16.9g
• Carbs: 38.8g
• Sugar: 29.9g
• Protein: 3g