If you are looking for a crowd pleaser bake to eat after your chocolate brownies, then look no further!!!
When I first started Scrumptious by Lucy, I use to bake Carrot cake and Lemon drizzle cakes as well as a few other cakes for the many food festivals and street markets we would attend, Carrot cake was always one of the most popular cakes I baked, the reason I cannot bake a range for Scrumptious, is the carrot cake is so soft and moist with its silky smooth cream cheese topping, it would be difficult to include in my Letterbox brownies gift boxes and to guarantee it would arrive looking the same gorgeous self.
This recipe is so versatile it can be baked into cupcakes, a traybake or simply a tiered cake sandwiched or topped with a deliciously rich cream cheese frosting. I haven't tried a carrot cake brownie, but food for thought?
The recipe I wish to share is from one of my favourite recipe books, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.
It has amazing recipes of cupcakes that I have baked many times for the boys parties and special occasions. However, my absolute favourite recipe is The Hummingbird Carrot Cake, lightly spiced, fluffy, moist and truly scrummy! What is there not to love about this triumphant treat! Absolutely nothing – it is scrummy!
I have baked many carrot cakes and this recipe tops them all. The sweet flavours of cinnamon and brown sugar create a lightly spiced caramelised sponge that pairs perfectly with a heavenly cream cheese frosting. You can add raisins or eliminate the walnuts if you prefer, however I love the texture crunch and flavour the walnuts bring and off course the grated carrots could count as 1 of your 5 a day as well as giving extra moisture to the sponge!!
This recipe is one of my favourite bakes. I love it so much; I used it for the bottom tier of my wedding cake!
Here is the recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.
Ingredients
300 grams light brown sugar
3 large eggs
300 millilitres neutral vegetable oil e.g. canola or sunflower
300 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra to decorate
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
300 grams carrots shredded
100 grams shelled walnuts or pecans chopped, plus 75 grams extra, chopped and whole, to decorate
For the cream cheese frosting:
600 grams powdered sugar sifted
100 grams unsalted butter softened
250 grams cream cheese cold
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line the bottoms of three (20cm) cake tins with baking
parchment and grease the sides.
2. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and oil until all ingredients are well incorporated
(don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly split).
3. Slowly add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla
extract. Continue to beat until well mixed. Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts until
evenly dispersed.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tins and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20–
25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Leave the
cakes to cool for about 10 minutes in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack
to cool completely.
For the frosting
1. While the cakes are cooling, beat the icing sugar and butter together in a deep bowl on
medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together. It will have a sandy texture.
2. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the
mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at
least 5 minutes. Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.
3. When the cakes are cold, put one on a cake stand or plate and spread about one-quarter
of the frosting over it with a palette knife or spoon. Place a second cake on top and
spread another quarter of the frosting over it. Top with the last cake and spread the
remaining frosting over the top and sides. Finish with the extra walnuts and a light
sprinkling of cinnamon.
Tips:
Add lemon juice to the cream cheese frosting to balance the sweetness
Enjoy baking!
Don't forget, it is only 2 weeks until Easter, and I have created some special Easter brownie flavours in my special Easter Brownies selection for you all to enjoy, whether to share with your family, as a gift to your friends and loved ones or simply just because you LOVE some Easter flavours! I hope you LOVE my Easter Brownie Box as much as I have in creating it.
Easter Sunday falls on the 17th April, with a Bank Holiday Friday and Monday, therefore to ensure your brownie gifts are delivered on time, I will be sending all your brownie gift boxes using the DPD Next Day service, so that all orders are received on Thursday 14thApril. This avoids the expensive Bank Holiday and weekend delivery charges, and ensures the brownies arrive in time. The brownies are sealed in airtight packaging and will stay lovely and fresh for up to 10 days, a little longer in the fridge and up to 3 months if frozen.
Love Lucy x