Another excuse for cake came up last week. And since it was my choice (yes, it was my birthday!) I decided to make a cake with a real treat on top (and inside too).
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
It’s a favourite of mine without any decoration, but the frosting makes it special. I added some pretty crystalised sugar too. 😉 Here’s a closer look!
Mmmm!
For the cake:
- two 20cm (8 inch) cake tins, greased and floured
- 235g (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 235g (1 cup) brown sugar/granulated sugar mix
- 235g (a scant 2 cups) self-raising flour
- pinch of salt
- 4 free-range eggs
- 3 carrots, grated
- 25 – 30ml (2 tbsps) orange juice
- 25ml milk (about 2 tbsps) (may not be necessary)
- zest and juice of 1 organic lemon
Cream together the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then orange and lemon juice and zest. Fold in sifted flour and salt very gently. Fold in grated carrots. Add extra milk if batter is thick – it should drop off the spoon. Divide between two sandwich tins and bake for at least 40 minutes, or until golden and firm in the middle.
For the frosting :
- 150g (3/5 cup) cream cheese
- 50g (about 1/2 stick)butter
- 200g (1 3/5 cups) icing sugar
- Squirt of lemon juice (optional)
Beat the frosting ingredients until smooth. Use as filling and topping once the cake has cooled completely. (Decorate with sparkly sugar for a special occasion!)
Here’s a slice just for you!
Happy Birthday Cathy! Your special cake makes my mouth water. Carrot cake and I go way back (yum!) and not everybody understands that cream cheese icing makes it supremely tasty.
I understand completely… then we are partners in crime! 😉 Thanks Susie!
Happy Birthday Cathy! Your cake looks awesome.
Blessings ~ Wendy
Thanks Wendy!
Happy Birthday!!! Cake looks delicious!
Thank you Angie – it was very tasty!
Happy Birthday Cathy!!! Your cake looks wonderful… I love carrot cake and make it all the time. My recipe is different than yours, I might have to give your recipe a try.
I hope you had a special day!
Thank you Michael. I think there must be hundreds of carrot cake recipes out there! This one has been in my recipe folder for so long and has been adapted over the years (to perfection, I’d say!). 😉
Happy Birthday! And cream cheese frosting is required! On one’s birthday a scrumptious cake is a must. I am so glad you made a favorite recipe!
Hi Deb. Yes, it was a choice between either pumpkin cake or carrot cake… and the carrots are healthy and fat-free so counterbalance the frosting, right? 😉
Half the reason I grow carrots is to make a carrot cake very fall. It’s one of my favorite cakes, Yours looks delish! Happy birthday!
Thank you! I have usually made this cake as an Easter treat, but I tried a new recipe last Easter that I didn’t really like…. So I was craving this cake – you can’t beat old favourites!
My favorite cake is Black Forest, although as you know i’m partial to pie. I wouldn’t throw rocks at carrot cake, though.
Black Forest is really special too, and very elaborate – but I’d only choose that if someone else is doing the baking!
Happy Birthday, Cathy, and a wonderful year ahaed! It take a slice of your cake. Is this cake frosted after finishing?
Thanks Uta – the frosting/topping is spread over each cake layer and they are then “sandwiched” together when the cake has cooled completely. You must try it! 😉
Yes Carrot cake is my favourite too, will certainly try your recipe. Hope you had a lovely day for your Birthday, belated greetings!
Thank you Pauline – the sun shone on my birthday, so I was happy! 😀
Birthday cake definitely requires frosting, and yours looks yummy, hope you had a lovely day! My favourite cake is a tie between coffee cake (with or without walnuts) and the rich boozy fruit cake that is the basis for my Christmas cake, which is also a favourite birthday cake complete marzipan and icing, but only when there are plenty of people around to help eat it…
Ooh, haven’t had a coffee and walnut cake for ages! Boozy fruit cake sounds nice too, but without the marzipan/icing for me. That’s got me thinking about Christmas now! Thanks for your good wishes Janet.
Happy birthday Cathy! Carrot cake is my absolute favourite – the recipe I usually use has spices in it, but I like the idea of orange with the carrots in yours… need to try that sometime soon!
Thanks Sarah! I’ve seen several recipes with spices in, but never tried one as I like this light “summery” version so much… 😀
Happy Birthday! I love carrot cake too, although tempted to try a pumpkin version due to my monster Mother Hubbard squash harvest. The frosting looks amazing.
Thank you Andrea. I’m planning on making my favourite pumpkin cake soon (with white chocolate in it – yum!). You could make a pumpkin pie too. A couple of years ago I made lots of pumpkin puree and froze it for baking and for soups. 😀
Happy Birthday, Cathy! What a delightful (and delicious) way to celebrate!
My aunt makes a carrot cake that I really love (she keeps the recipe a secret but she insists that the key is “extra carrots”) and I make a lemon cake similar to one you posted I believe last year that I’m very partial to. But my rhubarb upside down cake is my absolute favourite. (The recipe is here, although unfortunately I didn’t post any photos: http://www.grit.com/food/rhubarb-cake.aspx#axzz2i53mRjB4).
Thanks for your good wishes Sheryl! That rhubarb cake sounds really good – I do love rhubarb and will have to try that next spring! 😀
Sorry I’m late with my birthday greetings to you, I hope you had a lovely day. Happy Birthday.
Thank you so much Christina! It was a sunny day full of cake and flowers! 😀
Happy birthday, dear Cathy, I’m so glad to have met you and just think it’s a pity you’re so far away otherwise I’d join you for a proper cake! 🙂
Glad to have met you too Annette! Yes, It would be lovely to sit and chat about plants and stuff over a cuppa. 😀 Have a lovely weekend Annette!
you too 🙂
Happy Belated Cathy! A wonderful choice…. I love carrot cake and frosting! Hope it tasted as wonderful as it looks…Divine!
Thank you! It was deelish!
Happy Belated Birthday 1/2 my family was born this week so now I can’t forget HUGS
Thank you! It’s a nice time of year to celebrate!
Yes so you would think so many on my blog list are this month then my family I am odd girl out in March 🙂
I’ve always picked carrot for my birthday…UNTIL NOW…after being inspired by Jason’s recent post. Dutch apple pie will be the choice next summer. Lovely blog, you have here birthday girl.
Well, Jason’s post also got me thinking – it doesn’t have to be a birthday “cake”! I did enjoy this one though! 😉 Thanks for stopping by Patrick!
Carrot cake is a great favorite of mine, too. And i can justify the calories by reminding myself how healthy carrots are!
I like the logic! 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you’re still celebrating, Happy Birthday! That is one delicious looking slice of cake 🙂
Thanks! The cake went down very well, and very quickly! 😉
I love cream cheese frosting. I don’t have to have a cake with it 😉 but your carrot cake looks delicious.
I think you need the two in combination to appreciate both to the full! 😉
Happy Belated Birthday! This cake looks very moist, which is always my favorite. 🙂
Thank you! The carrots do make it lovely and moist… keeps well for a few days ( if it doesn’t get eaten before!)