Carrot cakes are a British favourite dating back to medieval times when it was known as a carrot pudding. This recipe is a lower-fat version of the popular dessert.
Most of the fat has been replaced with other nutritious ingredients which create a tasty, moist and healthy treat. This recipe is high in vitamin A which is needed for healthy eyesight and immunity against disease.
Ingredients
200g carrots (grated weight)
3 medium eggs
80g light brown sugar
60g low-fat natural yoghurt
60ml vegetable oil
200g wholemeal flour
1 x 15ml spoon baking powder
1 x 5ml spoon ground cinnamon
½ x 5ml spoon ground ginger
1 large orange
100g sultanas
For the topping
100g reduced-fat soft cream cheese
1 x 15ml spoon icing sugar
1 x 298g can mandarin oranges in their own juice
Equipment
Weighing scales
Baking tin 20cm x 20cm
Baking paper
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Zester or fine grater
2 x Large mixing bowl
Balloon whisk
Mixing spoon
Juice squeezer
Measuring jug
Oven gloves
Cooling rack
Clingfilm
Instructions
- Line the baking tin with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan or gas mark 3.
- Wash, peel and finely grate the carrots and leave to the side.
- Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, yoghurt and oil. Whisk together until combined.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into the large mixing bowl and gently mix.
- Wash the orange and grate the zest, carefully cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice. Add the zest and juice to the other ingredients in the bowl.
- Fold in the grated carrots and sultanas and gently mix until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 45 minutes,until it has risen and feels firm but springy to the touch.
- While the cake is cooking, make the topping by whisking together the cream cheese and icing sugar. Drain and keep the juice from the mandarins and add 1–2 x 15ml spoons of the juice to the mixture. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed.
- Once the cake is ready, leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
- When the cake has cooled, spread a thin layer of the orange frosting on top and add the mandarins as a final decoration.
Skills used include:
Washing, weighing, measuring, peeling, grating, squeezing, whisking, mixing/combining, folding, spreading and baking.
Top nutrition fact
- This recipe contains good sources of iron, including dried fruit and wholemeal flour. Vitamin C helps us to absorb iron from the foods we eat, so the orange juice and zest in this recipe really complement the good sources of iron.
Top Tips
- If time is limited, pour the mixture into 2 x lined 20cm round cake tins and bake for 20 minutes. Sandwich the cakes together with some of the frosting as well as spreading on the top.
Something to try next time
- Experiment with flavours by adding 100g of drained crushed pineapple at step 7.
Prepare now, eat later
- Store the carrot cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days.
