The humble carrot cake is an underrated classic.
It's the perfect combination of sugar and warming spice, with a wholesome root vegetable thrown in for good measure. It's an ideal sweet treat to make on a long weekend, share with friends or enjoy with a cuppa.
Patisserie chef Hannah Vincent knows a thing or two about creating heart-warming desserts. Working from her cute-as-a-button bakeshop in Mornington, Hannah whips up decadent baked treats on the daily, including house-made tim tams, wagon wheels, cinnamon scrolls, cookie dough brownies and cupcakes filled with sweet ganache.
The Butcher's Daughters Cakes also serve up an ever-changing array of daily cakes, including pink and classic lemon meringue pies, rich chocolate cakes with buttercream frosting, and scumptious carrot cakes. For those looking to recreate some of the bakeshop's magic at home, Hannah has kindly provided one of her tried-and-tested recipes.
How to make it
Start by preheating your oven to 170 degrees. Line an 8-inch baking tin with baking paper.
Wash and grate your carrots.
Add your sugar and oils together in a large mixing bowl and whisk.
Add eggs and vanilla and continue whisking until combined.
Next, sift in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, and fold through.
Fold through shredded carrot and ensure everything is well mixed.
Pour into the pre-lined tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven at 170 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
Once cooled, slather with cream cheese frosting or lemon buttercream, or get creative with pretty pastel icing, as pictured.
