Lockdown Recipes: Baking Carrot Cake

On this edition of #Lockdownrecipes, we will be making an all-time favorite that *sigh* many people are very scared of attempting; Carrot cake.

So I have tweaked and fine-tuned a recipe that you can’t go wrong on. This is a straightforward, easy-peasy, you-will-have-to-really-try-to-get-it-wrong CARROT CAKE recipe

Please before you excitedly jump and go grab a handful of carrots to toss into the oven, take 2 mins to go through the ingredients and items list. Whatever you do not have, please purchase before you get started. You can’t use Cameroon pepper to substitute Chilli pepper here ???? (yeah, I’m subbing you).

This recipe makes a single 12″ or double 9″ cake or about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1¼ cups pure vegetable oil
2 cups brown sugar (or 1½ cups white sugar + 2 tbsp browning)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups (about 6 med carrots) shredded carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds or mixed nuts
1½ cup raisins

So let’s go (easy peasy)

Measure the flour, baking soda, salt and the cinnamon and sieve into a clean and dry bowl.
Measure the oil, sugar and flavor into another bowl. Break in the eggs one at a time and whisk until blended.
Using a wooden spatula (fine, use your turning stick. Wash it!), add the dry mix into the wet mix in 4 batches, gently stirring until it mixes and the batter is smooth.
Add in the carrots, nuts, and raisins and stir to evenly disperse it.

Baking our Cake (stay with me, it’s easy too)

Set your oven heat to 180°C or medium-high.
If you’re using baking pans, cut baking sheets to line the bottom and sides of your greased pans or grease and flour the bottom and sides of your pans.
If you’re making cupcake or muffin pans, place your baking paper into the pans.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake.
Bake for about 45 – 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto your oven rack, peel off the parchment paper and cool completely. (If you find that the cake is stuck to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing).

Your delicious carrot cake is ready and waiting for you. If you wish to decorate it, well..check out how to make Whipped Cream frosting.