A perfect slice with your coffee, tea or just because! You can’t go wrong with this classic walnut carrot cake. This is a delicious, moist carrot cake with real cream cheese icing with an added crunch of fresh California walnuts. Fairly easy to make, you can double it, and create layers, if you so desire!
Ingredients
Cake:
2 cups shredded carrots
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup carrot juice (cold)
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup California Walnut Pieces, coarsely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
Pinch of Salt
Preparation
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F
Using an 8-inch round baking pan, cover with parchment paper, leaving extra overhang on all side.
Toss together carrots, brown sugar, honey and salt in a large bowl, let it sit and prepare the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, add carrot juice, oil and vanilla extract. Add egg, and lightly beat into carrot juice mixture, add cinnamon and baking soda. Add to carrots mixture and fold in flour and the 1/2 a cup of the walnuts.
Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake in oven until center comes out clean, approx. 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Using parchment overhand, lift cake from pan and transfer to wire rack, cool completely, approx. 30 minutes.
Frosting:
Add cream cheese and butter, beat with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy, at least a minute. Add vanilla, salt and then powdered sugar. beat a low speed until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting over cool cake.
Sprinkle remaining walnuts to decorate!