The Updated Version of Duckeys Carrot Cake

Like all good recipes sometimes you realise by making small tweaks along the way the outcome can be more successful, my favourite recipe is for my Duckeys Carrot Cake - here is my perfected version.

RECIPE: Moist succulent carrot cake delicately favoured with cinnamon pineapple and raisins, combined with walnuts topped with a cream cheese topping decorated with walnut pieces.

You will need:

60g unsalted butter
2 eggs (whisked and separating egg whites from the yolks)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2-3 large grated carrots
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
135g caster sugar
135g self raising flour
50g drained, canned, crushed pineapple
50g raisins
50g walnuts chopped

For the icing:

112g low-fat cream cheese softened
200g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate:

Walnut pieces

To make the cake:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees - Gas mark 4-5

2. Remove the unsalted butter and eggs from the refrigerator to allow them to warm to the room temperature

3. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy

4. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture until it has creamed


5. Then add the egg yolks mixed and whisk the egg white (which should be beaten in a separate bowl - this creates more volume


6. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and carrots


7. Sift the self raising flour, baking powder and salt in the mixture

8. Fold in half the flour mixture

9. Stir in the pineapple, raisins and walnuts


10. Fold in the rest of the flour mixture … the batter should be smooth, but do not overmix!

11. Coat a 10-inch round cake pan with non-stick spray

12. Pour the batter mixture into the pan


13. Bake until the cake is golden brown and set in the center, about 35 minutes

14. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan


To make the cream cheese icing:

1. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla together until the mixture is smooth

2. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the icing on top of the cooled cake

3. Store the cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

4. Cut the cake into 12 pieces and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

This recipe has been modified from the original - I have changed a few of the ingredients and quantities but the Carrot Cake is still pretty healthy.