Packed full of walnuts and tangy craisins, this moist gluten-free carrot cake with decadent lemon cream cheese icing is the ultimate sweet and spicy treat. Recipe is suitable for baking as a cake or muffins. Equally tasty sans the icing.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups gluten-free baking mix
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sunflower or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup craisins
Whole walnuts, extra
Serves 8-12
Icing
250g cream cheese, softened
65g butter, softened
5 tablespoons lemon juice
5 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
5 cups (800g) icing sugar
Makes approx 4 cups
Method
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Preheat oven to 180C.
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Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper, grease well. Alternatively, line a muffin tin with paper cups.
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Sift baking mix, spices and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.
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Add all remaining ingredients and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is just combined - don't over mix it.
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Pour the cake mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth the surface.
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Bake cake for approximately 55-60 minutes (30-45 minutes for muffins). The cake / muffins are cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
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Remove from the cake tin and allow cake / muffins to cool.
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Serve as is or with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing.
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
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Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy.
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Add icing sugar one cup at a time. Beat until creamy.
- Add more icing sugar or lemon juice as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Note: This yielded an obscene amount of icing - possibly half the amount would have been sufficient for the size of this cake. But if you have a sweet tooth and not concerned about your waistline, then what the heck, spread it thick, spread it all!
[Recipe by Franciska - adapted from Healtheries Scrumptious Carrot Cake recipe.]