Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants

My Favourite Cakes

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1124

We’ve had very pleasant weather in the last few days. This is such a great relief. I think everybody is smiling more… Today I want to share a carrot walnut cake recipe. I think this is one of the best carrot cakes I’ve eaten in years. It was very moist, not too sugary and the addition of walnuts and currants added that occasional crunch, that we love to experience and the occasional and pleasurable sweet spots. In any case I added some unsweetened apple puree and reduced the amount of oil. I baked the cake at 300°F (150°C), which I thought was too low but the final baked cake was superb. If you ever bake this cake, please make sure you top it with the cream cheese frosting. The combination was stupendous. I loved it.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1120

Do you boil, steam, broil, microwave or roast carrots? It’s said that raw or steamed carrots provide the best nutritional value. Happy carrot nibbling!

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1129I wish you a happy blogging and a very pleasant week, time to catch up on sleep!

  • Ingredients 
  • 200g (7oz, 1½ cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 150g dark brown sugar (the cake is not very sugary)
  • 120ml (½ cup, 4 fl oz) vegetable oil
  • 100ml (3½) unsweetened apple puree
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g (2 cups) peeled and grated carrots
  • 50g (½ cup, 2oz) chopped walnuts
  • 50g (⅓ cup, 2oz) currants (Zante Currants)

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9416Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9420Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly oil and line the base of an 8” (20.5cm) round tin (pan) with parchment (greaseproof paper). Sift the flour baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and spices into a large bowl.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9422Stir in the brown sugar and form a well in the centre.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9423Combine the oil, apple puree, and eggs in a bowl

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9425And whisk together the  until thoroughly combined.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9428Add the mixture into the well

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9429And mix until just combined.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9434Fold in the carrots, walnuts and currants

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9437This is what the final mixture looks like

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9440then pour the mixture into the prepared tin (pan). Bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9449Remove the cake from oven and let rest for 5 minutes then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 175g (6oz) cream cheese
  • Finely grated zest (rind) of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
  • 125g (4½oz) icing (confectioners) sugar

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9453Ingredients for cream cheese frosting

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9456Cream Cheese Icing: Beat together the cream cheese, lime zest (rind), lime juice and vanilla essence (extract). (use wooden spoon)

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9457until thoroughly combined

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_9460Sift the icing (confectioners) sugar into the cream cheese mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1111Spread the frosting on top of the cake and serve.

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1139This is arguably one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever eaten

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants myfavouritepastime.com_1119If you ever make it, please make sure it has frosting

Carrot Walnut Cake with Currants


Preparation Time: 30 minutes; Baking Time: 1-1¼ hours; Serves: 8 Slices

  • 200g (7oz, 1½ cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 150g dark brown sugar (the cake is not very sugary)
  • 120ml (½ cup, 4 fl oz) vegetable oil
  • 100ml (3½oz) unsweetened apple puree 
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g (2 cups) peeled and grated carrots
  • 50g (½ cup, 2oz) chopped walnuts
  • 50g (⅓ cup, 2oz) currants (Zante Currants)

For the Cream Cheese Icing

  • 175g (6oz) cream cheese
  • Finely grated zest (rind) of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
  • 125g (4½oz) icing (confectioners) sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly oil and line the base of an 8” (20.5cm) round tin (pan) with parchment (greaseproof paper). Sift the flour baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and spices into a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and form a well in the centre.
  2. Whisk together the oil, apple puree, and eggs until thoroughly combined. Add the mixture into the well and mix until just combined. Fold in the carrots, walnuts and currants then pour the mixture into the prepared tin (pan). Bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from oven and let rest for 5 minutes then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  3. Cream Cheese Icing: Beat together the cream cheese, lime zest (rind), lime juice and vanilla essence (extract). Sift the icing (confectioners) sugar into the cream cheese mixture and stir thoroughly to combine. Spread the mixture on top of the cake and serve.
  4. **I weigh the flour and butter. I do not use cup measures. The weight of a cup of flour tends to vary based on individual interpretation, publication and size of cup used (from 125g to 130g to 155g per cup)
  5. Cup measures based on assumption, 1 cup = 125g flour so that would be the US cup of 240ml, not the Australian Cup. The Australian cup = 155g flour so that would change cup measures.

Points to note:

  1. Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperatures depending on your oven. I baked the cake at 300°F (150°C) for 1 hour.
  2. This cake is not very sugary if you prefer more sugar add to suit your palate.
  3. I always weigh ingredients, especially the flour and butter. You can use cup measures, but please note if you scoop flour directly from the bag you will end up with 150-185 g of flour instead of the recommended 125g. I suggest you spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. You can also sift the flour first then scoop. My best advice: please use a weighing scale.

myfavouritepastime.com

Author: Liz

I love everything food: eating, cooking, baking and travelling. I also love photography and nature.

69 thoughts

    1. I saw your project related to cakes and loved everything I saw. I drooled throughout. Thanks for visiting my blog and I wish you a happy week!
      Liz

      Reply
  3. Pingback: RECIPE // Carrot Cake | HotDish

    1. […] saw this post for a delicious-looking carrot cake on one of the blogs I follow and I knew I had to have […]

      Thank you for seeing, liking, baking and clearing the cake in two days flat. We cleared ours in one day flat. LOL. I wish you a beautiful weekend!
      Liz

      Reply

  4. Liz, you’ve done it again! I will, for sure, try this recipe when I get home. We do not have the facilities here for much baking and it’s pretty warm! I too love the addition of the lime to the icing. My recipe which was also my grandmothers had raisins in it too and the longer the cake sat, the more flavorful and moist it became! Strangely, I’ve always seemed to do my carrot cakes in loaf pans. Why? Because that is the way it has always been done! LOL. We are sure creatures of habit so thanks for snapping me out of it! Enjoy your weekend! I’m going to the weekend swap meet tomorrow, maybe the churro man will be there again!

    Reply

    1. HI Sandy,
      Now you make me want to bake it in a loaf tin. I’ve always made mine round. I don’t know why. I love the “real” slices and the fact that I can even ice it and use it for a special occasion Never seen a birthday cake shaped like a loaf…I know the weekend will be great coz the temperatures are great. Have a lovely weekend. I know you enjoy every single day of the holiday. Best wishes to your friends and family. Thank you so much for supporting this blog.
      Liz

      Reply

  9. When I was a kid, I used to eat carrots raw and sometimes unpeeled. It just tasted great to me. However, I’ve never found a really good carrot cake. Fortunately, yours look so good especially with the frosting! I hope they invent taste-a-vision soon! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hi Francesca,
      I have a salty tooth but I also enjoy a slice, but since blogging started I’m not sure I should say “every now and again” anymore. Enoy Easter!
      liz

      Reply

  16. This carrot cake of your is absolutely indecent! I love this cake, though I discovered it just last year. I like mine with dried cranberries too 😉
    Don’t you think it’s always time for a carrot cake? Ok, spring is the best of all times! 😀
    Besos

    Reply

    1. Hi Rosa,
      Mmm next time I make a carrot cake, I’ll throw in cranberries. I just never thought of that..thanks for the tip!
      Liz

      Reply

  19. Hi Liz 😀 While you are sleeping I’ll just take a slice if I may (oh, you’re asleep) I’ll take that as a yes then 😉
    Wonderful post, wonderful cake, oh, it’s a wonderful life. Ralph xox ❤

    Reply

      1. Oh yes. It was wonderful Liz. Maybe you can leave by the next cake little piles of frosting ( icing in proper English 😉 ) and a cup of coffee. 2 sugars. Oh, and a serviette,cake fork and the TV remote control. I’ll keep the volume down as I may wake you 😉 I’m having a great Sunday thank you as I am looking through my dates. Your cousin sounds perfect.as you are not available ❤

        Reply

        1. Thank God you speak proper English. I call it icing too. I did everything as requested and I hope you enjoyed. The volume was a bit loud though. Next time, turn it down, please! Thanks for cracking me up. Enjoy the Easter weekend!
          Liz

  21. Carrot is one of my favorite cakes. I still use my Grandma’s recipe. She always put in nuts and raisins, but I am a purist and want mine plain. I almost never get carrot cake anywhere else because I am so picky! This one looks great with the lime zest in the frosting, of course I would skip the nuts. Beautiful pictures too, drool worthy!

    Reply

    1. Hi Mama D,
      I sometimes make a plain carrot cake but I love the addition of nuts and currants. They remind me of a fruit cake and I love fruit cakes. Thanks for your compliments and wish you a lovely day!
      Liz

      Reply

  22. Your cake looks amazing and though I really love my regular carrot cake recipe I think I will have to try out your icing! I’m so curious and just have to try the hint of lime over the carrot cake. Have you always used the lime and what kind of reactions have you gotten?

    Reply

    1. Hi,
      Thank you for complimenting. I have always used lime. I find it has a better flavour than lemon. which has a more subtle flavour. You can’t miss the smell, taste and pleasantness of lime in a cake. It’s amazing. try it! Have a wonderful day!
      Liz

      Reply

  23. That looks tremendous. I have a weakness for carrot cake — it started because I love cream cheese frosting but now I just really crave good, moist carrot cake — nuts and raisins are a bonus. I want to run away with that whole thing and eat it by myself! 😉

    Reply

    1. Did you run away with the whole thing and eat it? I hope you enjoyed it (LOL). I love moist carrot cakes too, so that makes the two of us. Have a pleasant week!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. Hi gal you are so quiet in your corner of the world. I’m so glad to see you. Enjoy the evening. I am just sipping my morning cup of coffee…
      Liz

      Reply

  26. Oh my. For some reason everything you have posted lately has been exactly what I am in the mood for at the time. I can’t even tell you how good this sounds to me right now!

    Reply

    1. How lovely. I wish I could mail you everything I’ve been making. That would be really nice. I wish you a lovely week!
      Liz

      Reply

      1. I wish! 🙂 I woke up still thinking about your carrot cake this morning and decided I am going to find the time to make it today, somehow. I’ll let you know if I do!

        Reply

      2. I made your cake this afternoon. It is beautiful and delicious! I didn’t have enough brown sugar so I used half a cup of coconut sugar and it still came out great. I also substituted golden raisins in place of the currants for the same reason. Thanks for posting, I will definitely be making it again! 🙂

        Reply

        1. Omg I was just asking whether you made the cake. I’m ever so glad that you made it with minor substitutions but still loved it. I am so happy to hear that. Thank you so much for making my day, lively. I love it when someone cooks and gives a feedback. Enjoy your Sunday and forgive me for the late response.
          Liz

  27. Liz, you are too amazing! My favourite cake is carrot cake and now I am drooling over yours! You are such a fabulous baker and I wish I were your neighbour so I could just drop over for carrot cake one afternoon! 😀

    Reply

    1. It’s not to late to become my neighbour, I love the colourful and healthy salads you always make, we could swop. Have a lovely week!
      Liz

      Reply

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