Super-moist Carrot Cake with Marula and Mongongo Nuts and Baobab-Cream Cheese frosting
Carrot cake tastes best the next day, after the flavours have settled. It is also more moist on the second day.
Ingredients
- 200g light or dark brown sugar
- 180ml vegetable oil
- 120g Greek yoghurt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 250g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 260g very finely grated carrots
- 1 cup marula and mongongo nuts (roasted)
- 1 tub cream cheese
- 1 cup (125g) icing sugar
- 4-6 tablespoons baobab powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Some marula and mongongo nuts to garnish
For the cake:
For the frosting:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175-180°C. Spray a 23-25cm round cake pan (with removable bottom) with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and oil. Beat in the yoghurt until fully combined. Mixture will be gritty and thick. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- With a spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and all flour pockets are gone. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the shredded carrots and nuts.
- Pour the batter into prepared cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Do not overbake; this will dry out the cake.
- For the frosting, beat the cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and baobab powder and beat until thick and combined. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 2 more minutes.
- Allow cake to cool completely before frosting. Garnish with nuts.
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