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Spiced carrot cake

Serve this spicy carrot cake straight from the oven with a generous dollop of velvety thick clotted cream
Spiced carrot cake

A cracking carrot cake will always be popular, Matthew Mason of The Jack in the Green near Exeter shares his recipe for the classic crowd-pleaser in the restaurant’s new cookbook

Serves    4-6

For the carrot cake:

  • Strong flour 110g
  • Ground cinnamon 1g
  • Ground ginger 1g
  • Mixed spice 1g
  • Bicarbonate of soda 2g
  • Baking powder 1g
  • Demerara sugar 150g
  • Vegetable oil 100g
  • Eggs 2, lightly beaten
  • Maldon sea salt 2g
  • Grated carrot 180g

For the frosting:

  • Unsalted butter 150g, room temperature
  • Icing sugar 45g
  • Full fat cream cheese 300g
  • Orange 1, zest grated

For the carrot cake:

  1. Sift together the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
  2. Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually mix in the oil until fully emulsified.
  3. Toss the grated carrot with half the flour mixture (this will prevent them from sticking together when in the batter). Add the remaining flour to the egg mix and then fold in the carrots/flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter into a prepared, lined tray and bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes. Then place on a cooling wire until cooled a little. Cut into rectangular portions and store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

For the frosting:

  1. In an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment place the butter with the icing sugar and whisk for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy. Then beat in the cream cheese and orange zest until smooth.
  2. Either spread the frosting onto the carrot cake itself or spoon a little to the side. The carrot cake is best eaten while still warm.

Find more recipes from Matthew and the team at The Jack in the Green in their new book, The Jack Cook Book Volume One.

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FOOD Magazine issue 187

You will need

For the carrot cake:

  • Strong flour 110g
  • Ground cinnamon 1g
  • Ground ginger 1g
  • Mixed spice 1g
  • Bicarbonate of soda 2g
  • Baking powder 1g
  • Demerara sugar 150g
  • Vegetable oil 100g
  • Eggs 2, lightly beaten
  • Maldon sea salt 2g
  • Grated carrot 180g

For the frosting:

  • Unsalted butter 150g, room temperature
  • Icing sugar 45g
  • Full fat cream cheese 300g
  • Orange 1, zest grated

Method

For the carrot cake:

  1. Sift together the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
  2. Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually mix in the oil until fully emulsified.
  3. Toss the grated carrot with half the flour mixture (this will prevent them from sticking together when in the batter). Add the remaining flour to the egg mix and then fold in the carrots/flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter into a prepared, lined tray and bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes. Then place on a cooling wire until cooled a little. Cut into rectangular portions and store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

For the frosting:

  1. In an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment place the butter with the icing sugar and whisk for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy. Then beat in the cream cheese and orange zest until smooth.
  2. Either spread the frosting onto the carrot cake itself or spoon a little to the side. The carrot cake is best eaten while still warm.

Find more recipes from Matthew and the team at The Jack in the Green in their new book, The Jack Cook Book Volume One.

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For the carrot cake:

  • Strong flour 110g
  • Ground cinnamon 1g
  • Ground ginger 1g
  • Mixed spice 1g
  • Bicarbonate of soda 2g
  • Baking powder 1g
  • Demerara sugar 150g
  • Vegetable oil 100g
  • Eggs 2, lightly beaten
  • Maldon sea salt 2g
  • Grated carrot 180g

For the frosting:

  • Unsalted butter 150g, room temperature
  • Icing sugar 45g
  • Full fat cream cheese 300g
  • Orange 1, zest grated

For the carrot cake:

  1. Sift together the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
  2. Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Gradually mix in the oil until fully emulsified.
  3. Toss the grated carrot with half the flour mixture (this will prevent them from sticking together when in the batter). Add the remaining flour to the egg mix and then fold in the carrots/flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter into a prepared, lined tray and bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes. Then place on a cooling wire until cooled a little. Cut into rectangular portions and store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

For the frosting:

  1. In an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment place the butter with the icing sugar and whisk for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy. Then beat in the cream cheese and orange zest until smooth.
  2. Either spread the frosting onto the carrot cake itself or spoon a little to the side. The carrot cake is best eaten while still warm.

Find more recipes from Matthew and the team at The Jack in the Green in their new book, The Jack Cook Book Volume One.

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