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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Published: Jan 30, 2021 · Modified: Jan 8, 2022 by Ella's Better Bakes · This post may contain affiliate links and I earn from any qualifying purchases. ·Leave a Comment

    Easy Lime Frosted Carrot Cake with Walnuts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Are you looking for a moist but light, exceptionally quick and easy, gloriously tasty, lime frosted carrot cake recipe? Then you have come to the right place!

    carrot cake collage

    This carrot cake recipe is really easy and simple and will provide you with a really gorgeous cake. I should know, I've been using it for the last 30 years...! Oh my that makes me feel proper old.

    My only modification of late has been to add some lime to the frosting, this gives it a gentle but evident lime zing which sits nicely against the sweetness of the cake.

    • carrot cake portrait
    • easy carrot cake - 800x1200 with flowers at back

    This cake is:

    • moist yet light;
    • has a warm cinnamon infused spicyness;
    • is topped a soft creamy frosting, with a hint of lime.

    So long ago...

    Back in the day (I am talking the 80s) carrot cake was quite a novel idea. A cake. Made with carrots. What madness is this?? We had watched Neighbours and it seemed to be a 'thing' down under. (Actually now researching it Google informs me carrot cake originated from Europe in the Middle Ages when carrots were used to sweeten cakes). But, we had seen it in "Daphne's Café" no less and were curious to see what the fuss was all about.

    So young teenage me found a recipe and made this weird concoction of a cake and it was a total hit with everyone! We marvelled at how a cake containing such an odd ingredient could be so tasty, moist and sweet and not really taste of carrot at all. Which was something of a relief.

    Had we known the possibilities of cakes contrived from such ingredients as beetroot or courgette were too a possibility our minds may surely have exploded.

    slice of carrot cake close up

    I have tried and tested other carrot cake recipes over the years but just keep coming back to this little beauty because it just always delivers.

    Why does this easy lime frosted carrot cake recipe work so well?

    Because it's simple and easy and doesn't requires loads of ingredients. Job done.

    Also, it contains just enough dry to wet ingredients to ensure the cake is not overly moist.

    And...

    The frosting is divine. Use very soft butter to make the frosting, otherwise you will find lumps of butter in your finished icing. Not good. I use spreadable butter which gives the frosting a lovely silkiness. Beat the butter and cream cheese together first until combined, then add in your lime juice and then your sifted icing sugar.

     Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

    Jim Davis - Author
    carrot cake with flower to side

    Other variations of carrot cake

    You can add 50g of chopped pecans or walnuts if you like. The only reason I don't is because my lot don't like carrot cakes with nuts. So, because personally I feel nuts of some sort should find their way into a carrot cake, I decorate with walnut halves.

    Important to remember when making easy lime frosted carrot cake

    Make sure your eggs are at room temperature: eggs bake better at room temperature because:

    • eggs break down more easily when they are not cold;
    • they combine better with the other ingredient components;
    • room temperature eggs produce a lighter and fluffier texture.

    Use fresh carrots, not pre-prepared ones: this cake needs the moisture from the carrots and pre-prepared carrots tend to be a bit dry.

    Beat your eggs and sift your flour: this adds extra air and ensures a lightness to the cake.

    Line your cake tin: this is a moist cake and will stick to your tin otherwise.

    slice of carrot cake close up

    How to make easy lime frosted carrot cake

    Another very easy and quick recipe.

    Line your tin with greaseproof paper.

    Take your eggs out of the fridge and and allow to come to room temperature for about half an hour.

    Weight out all of your ingredients.

    Add your caster sugar to your mixing bowl then sift all of the other dry ingredients on top.

    Give everything a whizz to ensure the mixture is combined.

    Add in your oil, give the mixture a whizz to combine, then add in your beaten eggs.

    Beat on a medium setting for about 15 seconds to ensure all mixed thoroughly. Beating the eggs and sifting the flour beforehand adds air so you just need to mix everything together until combined.

    Fold in your grated carrots. To fold turn the mixture over on itself gently rather than mixing round, this keeps the air in.

    Add to your tin, bake for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

    Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack, crust side down.

    Take your softened butter and cream cheese and whizz together until combined. if you can use spreadable butter for this as it is guaranteed to be soft and result in a lump free icing and gives a glossy softness to the icing. Add your lime juice and sift in your icing sugar. Mix until combined, then spread onto your cake. You can use the back of desert spoon to spread the icing our evenly.

    I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I have over the years, please send me some comments to let me know how you got on.m

    Happy carrot cake baking!

    easy-carrot-cake-collage

    Lime frosted easy carrot cake

    This carrot cake is quick and simple and amazingly moist and light and the gentle lime in the frosting adds another dimension.
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    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories:
    Author: Ella's Better Bakes
    Tried this recipe?Follow at @ellasbetterbakes or tag #ellasbetterbakes!
    TOGGLE TO ALTER SERVINGS (metric only) 12 slices
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    Here's what you'll need...

    • 9 x 9" square baking tin
    • stand mixer or hand mixer
    • Spatula

    Ingredients you'll need...

    Dry ingredients

    • 200 g caster sugar
    • 150 g self raising flour
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Wet ingredients

    • 120 ml vegetable oil
    • 2 large eggs beaten
    • 150 g carrots coarsely grated

    Lime frosting

    • 100 g cream cheese
    • 50 g butter spreadable or very soft
    • 75 g icing sugar
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • 16 walnut halves

    Here's what we do...

    Carrot cake

    • Line your tin with greaseproof paper.
    • Heat your oven to 180°C/160°C/Gas mark 4,
    • Add the caster sugar to a large bowl.
    • Sift all of the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl.
    • Give the mixture a quick mix to ensure all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
    • Mix in the oil first, then when incorporated add the beaten eggs.
    • Give everything a quick beat for about 15 seconds on a medium setting.
    • Fold in your grated carrots.
    • Transfer the batter to your prepared tin and bake in the centre of your oven for an hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
    • Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes
    • Remove from the tin and cool on a cooling rack, crust side down.

    Lime frosting

    • Mix your cream cheese and butter together until fully incorporated.
    • Add you lime juice and sift in your icing sugar.
    • Mix thoroughly, then spread evenly over the top of the cake.
    • Decorate with walnuts.
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    Supporting Notes

    Keep the carrot cake in the fridge, as the frosting is made with cream cheese you need to keep it cold.
    This cake freezes well, frosting included.

    Make Your own Notes on this Recipe here...

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    Hi, I'm Ella! It is SO great that you have dropped on by! I am a baking blogger/lifelong baking addict and my aim in life is to provide easy recipes for all levels of bakers with simple and helpful instructions. Together we will bake bake bake!

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