Carrot Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Carrot cake is a classic that everyone loves, especially when you get it just right and it's perfectly moist, light and spongey. The orange cream cheese frosting is so creamy and zingy, it really goes great on the cake and you'll find guests asking for second servings with this one! Perfect served up for any occasion - whether it's for a special occasion or simply to enjoy with a cup of afternoon tea, it's a classic cake for a reason - because everyone will love it!

How to make carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) carrots, coarsely grated
• zest and juice 1 large orange
• 100g (4oz) walnut pieces
• 225ml (8fl oz) light olive oil
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising wholemeal flour (or plain wholemeal and 2tsp baking powder)
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 175g (6oz) light muscovado sugar
• 1tsp grated nutmeg

1tsp ground cinnamon

For the frosting:

• 300g (10oz) full-fat cream cheese
• 100g (4oz) icing sugar
• grated zest of 1 large orange, plus more, shredded, to decorate

You will need:

• 20cm (8in) round deep cake tin, oiled and bottom lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C, gas 2. Place the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat until well blended. Place in the cake tin and spread until level. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
2. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and orange zest, and spread over the cake. Decorate with the shredded orange zest.