Carrot Cake Traybake

I’ve been meaning to try this for ages. I mean years…. The recipe is from a free Odlum’s booklet, which I got years ago, called ‘The Cake Club’. It was a promotional booklet for hosting a bake sale and I rediscovered it during lockdown de-cluttering.

I made two changes to the recipe – but I’ll put the recipe as published below, with some notes to show changes which I made. It’s a lovely light and moist traybake. We did end up giving quite a lot away as it’s too big for 4 people to eat! It was popular with the kids and adults that tested it for us. We also gave it the thumbs up – I only share recipes that I’d make again.

I saw that the frosting on this recipe, was a mixture of cream-cheese and honey. I don’t like the taste of honey, so used my own cream-cheese frosting recipe. When I had my (small) cake business, I made this cream-cheese frosting so many times  – it’s fab on red velvet cupcakes & so popular with clients. I’m sure the frosting in the recipe, is nice, but not for me.

Ingredients:

• 275 g self raising flour
• 275 g caster sugar
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 100 g packet chopped walnuts (I didn’t include these)
• 2 level tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 level tsp ground ginger
• 300 ml sunflower oil
• 275 g grated carrot
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping: (I used a different recipe for the topping – link below)

• Carton of Philadelphia cream-cheese (size not stated)
• 2 tbsp honey

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 or 160 fan. Grease and line the base of a 12” x 9” baking or roasting tray
2. Put the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, walnuts, cinnamon and ginger) into a large bowl. Mix well.
3. Beat the oil, eggs and vanilla extract together. Add the liquid and the grated carrots to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 50 to 60 mins until well risen and firm to the touch.
5. Remove from the oven and leave in tin for 10 minutes to set, then turn out onto wire tray to cool.
6. Meanwhile, make the topping by beating the cheese and honey together. Spread over the top of cake and sprinkle with walnuts if liked.
7. Cut into squares. Makes about 21.

Cakemum tips/observations:

1. The recipe included 100 g of chopped walnuts. I left these out. You could also replace them with raisins or a different kind of nut.
2. The recipe said to bake for 50 – 60 mins. My oven is hot, so I checked at 35 mins and then left it for another 5 mins. 40 mins was perfect for me,  but each oven is different. I recommend checking after 40 mins as 60 mins for a traybake, seems like a long time to me.
3. Cream cheese should be stored in the fridge, by default, I believe that cream-cheese frosting requires extra care. Recipes never seem to mention keeping the cake in a fridge when decorated, but this is what I recommend, especially in warm weather.  I believe that it’s ok at room temp for a few hours but for longer periods, I wrap the decorated cake in clingfilm and store in a fridge. I remove the cake from the fridge 30 mins before eating, to allow it to come to room temp. Please use your own judgement and do what’s best for you, I just wanted to share my thoughts (self taught baker – not a food science expert!)
4. I think the cream-cheese frosting which I use, deserves a post all of it’s own. Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Happy Baking and #stayhome x

De (aka thecakemum)

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