The best low-fat carrot cake recipe

In honour of national baking week I decided to share with you my absolute favourite recipe for carrot cake with a cinnamon vanilla topping, the perfect autumnal cake. Whilst cooking this beauty the mixed spice will turn your kitchen into the epitome of what autumn smells like. Then enjoy this beautiful cake with a warming drink to banish that autumn chill. This recipe is lightly adapted from Delia Smith’s one on her website, but in my humble opinion it is the best one out there despite it being low fat, so a win all round. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

175 g brown soft sugar

2 large eggs

120 ml sunflower oil

200 g self-raising flour

1½ level teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

3 rounded teaspoons mixed spice

grated zest 1 orange

5 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

175 g sultanas

FOR THE TOPPING

250 g Quark

20 g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a little extra for dusting

FOR THE SYRUP GLAZE

juice ½ small orange

1 dessertspoon lemon juice

40 g brown soft sugar

EQUIPMENT

One deep brownie-style square tin 

(mine was 8 inches by 8 inches) lined and greased

Wooden spoon or hand mixer 

To grate the carrots I used a food processor, 

so much quicker and saves your fingers!

METHOD:

1. Whisk the 175 g brown sugar, eggs and oil together in a bowl using an electric hand whisk for 2-3 minutes

2. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the mixed spice into the bowl

3. Fold in the orange zest, carrots and sultanas 

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm and springy to the touch when lightly pressed in the centre

5. While the cake is cooking, make the topping by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until light and fluffy, then cover with clingfilm and chill for 1-2 hours or until needed

6. Make the syrup glaze by whisking together the fruit juices and sugar in a bowl

7. When the cake comes out of the oven, stab it all over with a skewer and quickly spoon the syrup over as evenly as possible

8. Leave the cake on one side to cool in the tin, during which time the syrup will be absorbed

7. When the cake is completely cold, remove it from the tin, spread the topping over and dust with a little more cinnamon

8. Enjoy with a cup of tea (or hot drink of your choosing)

I hope you enjoy this recipe post, recipes are always the most viewed on this humble little blog, I guess that is a not so subtle hint of what people like to see most of from me. It is truly tasty, even my dad who is not a cake person enjoyed it. Please let me know if you do end up making it!

Steph


This recipe is lightly adapted from Delia Smith’s, I do not take credit for the creation of this recipe. The original can be found on her website.