This Carrot and Walnut Cake is flavoured with the most delicious, warming and aromatic Chai spices. It is flavour packed, moist and simple to make.
Carrot and Walnut Cake
I was tempted to pretend that this cake wasn’t moist so that I could avoid the inevitable groans that come with the use of that word..
I know that the wonderful Nigella often uses the word ‘damp’ for cakes like this..
but when you have lived in student accommodation, the word damp comes with vivid memories of grotesque scenes that should never be allowed to go anywhere near cake.
Especially one as joyful as this.
So MOIST it is..
This is a divine Cake as all Carrot Cakes are and it is full of all the deliciousness and warmth of Chai.
Ingredient in Chai Carrot Cake/Carrot and Walnut Cake
To make this incredible Cake, you’ll need:
Vegetable oil – Oil adds moisture to the cake that makes it divine.
Eggs – Eggs help the cake to rise and also helps to combine the ingredients.
Sugar – Granulated, Caster or Light Brown Sugar.
Flour – for structure!
Baking powder and Bicarb of Soda – These help the cake to rise.
Ground Cinnamon, Cardamom, Clove, Nutmeg, Ginger : Add warmth.
Salt – Brings the flavours together.
Grated carrots – These are grated and lend a natural sweetness.
Chopped walnuts – These add texture.
For the Cream Cheese Icing
Butter and Cream Cheese – For a creamy, slightly salty hit to balance out the sweetness.
Icing Sugar – Adds sweetness but also makes the Cream Cheese velvety.
Lemon – To balance out the flavours.
Corn Flour – To thicken it all up.
Chai Spices – Cinnamon, Ginger and Cardamom to add more warmth.
How to make Carrot and Walnut Cake
Preheat the oven to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.
Line the bottom of 2 x 18cm round cake tins with baking paper.
Sieve the dry ingredients and set aside.
Whisk the Eggs and Oil together in a stand mixer or by hand until they have come together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Stir in the Carrots and Walnuts.
Pour the batter into the two prepared tins.
Bake for 50 mins – 1 hour 10 minutes. This may take longer.
Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cakes to a wired cooling rack.
Let the cake cool fully before adding icing.
To make the icing – Beat Butter until soft. Add Cream Cheese and beat till soft. Sieve over the Icing Sugar, add the Corn Flour, Zest and Spices and beat together until smooth and combined.
To assemble – Place one of the cakes on a plate/board.
Spread 1/2 of the icing on top.
Place the second cake on top of the first with the flat bottom facing up. Sprinkle over walnuts.
Tips to make the BEST Carrot and Walnut Cake
If possible, grate the carrots yourself. It is tempting to buy grated carrots but the results are better with fresh carrots.
You can do this in a blender or use a box grater or course microplane to shred the carrots to a course texture.
VARIATIONS
Self Raising Flour
You can absolutely use SRF in place of Plain Flour here. If you do, omit the Baking Powder.
Oil
You can use a light Olive Oil or any flavourless Oil here.
Walnuts
You can quickly pre toast the Walnuts in a dry pan beforehand.
Spices
I love Chai spices and use the quantities I like. Feel free to add more or less of each spice. A little Black Pepper works well too.
How to store Chai Carrot Cake
The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Wrap in a layer of cling film and keep in an airtight container, ice before serving.
The Icing can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature until soft enough to spread.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
Wrap un iced cake in 2 layers of cling film and 1 layer of foil for up to 3 months.
To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack at room temperature for 4-5 hours. Top with icing before serving.
More Delicious Cake Recipes:
**if you make this recipe, please rate/comment below. we love to hear from you and seeing your creations makes our day – safira
Carrot and Walnut Cake
This Carrot and Walnut Cake is flavoured with the most delicious, warming and aromatic Chai spices. It is flavour packed, moist and simple to make.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 3 Eggs
- 210 g Vegetable Oil
- 240 g Plain Flour
- 250 g Light Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Cardamom
- ½ tsp Ground Clove
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 270 g Carrots Peeled and coarsely grated
- 120 g Walnuts Chopped
Cream Cheese Icing
- 60 g Butter At room temperature
- 200 g Cream Cheese At room temperature
- 120 g Icicng Sugar
- 1 tbsp Corn Flour
- ⅔ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground Cardamom
- ½ Lemon Zest only
Topping
- Handful Walnuts chopped
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.
-
Line the bottom of 2 x 18cm round cake tins with baking paper.
-
Whisk the Eggs and Oil together in a stand mixer or by hand until they have come together.
-
Seive over the Plain Flour and add the Sugar, Bicarbonate of Soda Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Clove and Nutmeg.
-
Stir in the Carrots and Walnuts.
-
Pour the batter into the two prepared tins.
-
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes. This may take longer. Check every 5 minutes from the 50 minute mark with a skewer. If there is any wet batter, place back into the oven.
-
Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cakes to a wired cooling rack.
-
To make the icing - Beat Butter until soft. Add Cream Cheese and beat till soft. Sieve over the Icing Sugar, add the Corn Flour, Zest and Spices and beat together until smooth and combined.
-
To assemble - Place one of the cakes on a plate/board.
-
Let the cake cool fully before adding icing.
-
Spread 1/2 of the icing on top.
-
Place the second cake on top of the first with the flat bottom facing up. Sprinkle over walnuts.
Recipe Notes
Tips to make the BEST Carrot and Walnut Cake
If possible, grate the carrots yourself. It is tempting to buy grated carrots but the results are better with fresh carrots.
You can do this in a blender or use a box grater or course microplane to shred the carrots to a course texture.
VARIATIONS
Self Raising Flour
You can absolutely use SRF in place of Plain Flour here. If you do, omit the Baking Powder.
Oil
You can use a light Olive Oil or any flavourless Oil here.
Walnuts
You can quickly pre toast the Walnuts in a dry pan beforehand.
Spices
I love Chai spices and use the quantities I like. Feel free to add more or less of each spice. A little Black Pepper works well too.
How to store Chai Carrot Cake
The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Wrap in a layer of cling film and keep in an airtight container, ice before serving.
The Icing can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature until soft enough to spread.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
Wrap un iced cake in 2 layers of cling film and 1 layer of foil for up to 3 months.
To defrost, unwrap and place on a wire rack at room temperature for 4-5 hours. Top with icing before serving.
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