This
Dish
Carrot Cake. What is more heavenly than the moist seductiveness of a creamy carrot cake?! Cinnamon, cream cheese and an unbeatable texture just make this cake the king of all baking creations for me. Yes, I love carrot cake. Badly.
I remember the first time I had carrot cake. I was pretty little, maybe around 10, and our American neighbour Rita handed us some home-baked cake over the fence that separated our gardens. I had a bite and was immediately transported into a totally new universe. I had never, ever tasted something like that before. Cinnamon, moist, juicy, creamy, and extremely sweet. Hell, I was instantly hooked.
But what followed were years and years of disappointment. When, every time I had found a slice of carrot cake, that sad feeling would overcome me… It would normally come after taking the first bite and realizing that this cake was either too dry, too stodgy or simply didn’t taste of cinnamon at all. My search for that perfect carrot cake took me from Starbucks to small bakeries in Switzerland (where they call it Rübli Kuchen) and street markets in London, all in vain. That is until I discovered this recipe.
In fact, it was my friend Gordon who introduced me to the world’s best ever carrot cake. If it weren’t for him, I’d still be desperately eating carrot cake in every London coffee shop, sighing every time another disappointment would come my way. But for my last birthday, Gordon brought along this beauty, which he had made especially for me. A perfect carrot cake. So perfect it put a tear in my eye and instantly transported me back to that moment Rita handed me her slice of carrot cake. Heaven…
Now the funny thing about this cake is that it is no secret over-the-generations-handed-down family recipe. No. It’s in fact adapted from the recipe of a British sandwich franchise called Pret A Manger, which is actually owned by McDonalds!!! Ridiculous, ey?! It sounds like making coffee with a Starbucks recipe – pretty insulting to any proper foodie. But… I have to say… damn, it really is the ultimate carrot cake recipe. Amazing. Fantastic. Mindblowing. Unbeatable. What? I hear you say no! Well, go on and try it and tell me if you have a better one. I dare you! And if you do say you can top this one, I’ll happily try out your recipe. Promised. ★
That does look pretty darn delicious. It’s even making my stomach growl. Carrot cake is my boyfriend’s favourite and I was thinking about making one for him for his birthday coming up. I might have to try this out.
This carrot cake looks fantastic!
Hi, Annie!
I love carrot cake and your recipe sounds amazing! Lovely blog as well 🙂
Thank you for visiting my page 🙂
Ahhh..such fond memories of this delight, and your pics have nudged me into making another one!
And as a HUGE fan of all things Pret, I have to post a little research I gathered some time ago when (dirty) brother Barrie went on an anti-capitalist rant: McDonalds has never had more than a non-controlling 33% stake in Pret. Bridgepoint Capital have since bought Pret, including the 33% stake. Yes, Bridgepoint has many global interests, but from what I’ve read about them, they have no need or desire to interfere with the Pret menu or it’s well-documented ingredients 🙂
Shame these bad boys didn’t make their way into the office! x
I tell you, I have spent a few good years of my life trying to find the perfect carrot cake recipe…but I guess it’s true what they say. You’ll find it in the last place you look! And this looks fantastic!
Just used this recipe as a base for a carroty birthday treat for my husband. I only used 150g of sugar (muscovado) and topped it up with a little bit of honey, also used wholemeal flour, added some raisins that I’d soaked in orange juice overnight, and tempered the sweetness of the icing with some lemon and lime juice. Looks promising so far!
Oh my Annette, that recipe is barely recognizable – but I love it! Did the honey flavour come through? And the raisins tasted of orange? I’m impressed at your tweaking recipe skills! Let me know how it went!
Looks gorgeous. How many cupcakes does the recipe make and how long do they take to cook as cupcakes?
Hey Katie! Now that’s a good question, I’ll need to make the recipe again and tell you exactly how many it makes. I suspect it must have made 12 (I actually made a cake and made 2 cupcakes for the photos). The cupcakes need about 40 minutes. I’ll make the recipe again and confirm all of this.
bicarb or b-powder? in the list it says b-powder in the method bi carb.
Whoops, well spotted Chef Rdford! I accidentally put in bicarb, but I actually used baking powder. Just amended that. However, I’m sure it would work with bicarb too! Thanks for pointing the error out! Hope you enjoy the cake!
To be honest the cake was so good i am baking it again today,I used baking powder to thanks for confirming. I have never really been into cakes nor the baking, to me anything that contains a sinful amount of sugar, really needs to be out balanced with joy! People dont waste your time ingredients or morels, bake this bloody cake and then eat it.
just made these this afternoon, and they were perfect! i showed my boyfriend’s 10-year old daughter your description of trying carrot cake at that age before she also tried them for the first time. she loved them too 🙂
cheers from lux
Aw Kasia, that is so sweet! I am really happy to hear that the carrot cake turned out great and that your daughter loved i too 🙂 Makes my day!
I LOVE your site. i am will try making this carrot cake with my daughter….hopefully the mess wont be too big in the kitchen.
keep up the awsome recepies.
a
I made and it was one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever eaten, thank u:)
but I have a question, the batter was thick and dense and I needed spoon to smooth it over the pan! was it right?
Hey Yasmin, glad you liked the carrot cake! And yes, the batter is indeed pretty thick when you pour it into the cake mould, so well done on smoothing it over a bit!
Hello! I couldn’t stop myself from writting this comment. I’m brazilian and here we have a very different recipe for carrot cakes. It has more of a grandma made recipe and it’s very simple. We top the cake with chocolate sauce and… Well, I think it’s wonderful! But your cake is not the usual treat I ate, so I’ll give it a try! If you want I can send you the tradicional Brazilian carrot cake recipe!
Yes please Isadora, send us the Brazilian carrot cake!
thanks
Hi Anne!
Love this recipe!
I had to tweak the icing a bit; my mascarpone turned into butter when I whisked it with the electric whisk, so I just mixed about 350g Mascarpone with 450g of icing sugar, and added some lemon juice. It counteracted the sweetness really nicely, and made the icing a bit more spreadable.
Xxxx evelyne
Evelyne! Ha, your mascarpone had magic powers there, to transform itself into butter! How dare it?! But good idea to use mascarpone instead of cream cheese, just as yummy! Yum Yum! Hope all is good my dear! xx
Hi! I’m from Argentina and this cake is not well-known around here… some people don’t even know it exists… Imagine your first time eating it… and imagine it is THE perfect carrot cake! I used to eat it when I lived in the UK but it’s been ages now! Me, my family and friends just went bonkers! 🙂 I used some almonds as well!
¡Saludos desde Argentina!
Hey Livia! A big hello from rainy England! So glad to hear you loved the recipe, and that you introducted your family to this amazing cake! It’s the closest thing to perfection ever!
I want to make a birthday carrot cake and your recipe sounds great but my cake tin is 10 inches x 8 inches and I’d like to know how to increase the ingredients for this size tin.
Could you please let me know the ingredients for your fab carrot cake using a cake tin 10 inches x 8 inches. Thanks
Hey Sue,
don’t worry about the size, it’s not much bigger than the tin I used! Just make the same amount of cake batter, but bake the cake only for 55mins (or until a skewer comes out clean). The shorter baking time is because the batter will spread out a bit more, making it a slightly thinner cake.
Hope it goes well!
x Anne
This recipe looks and sounds delicious. My husband loves him some carrot cake. However, I don’t own a scale so how am I to translate this into ounces and cups? Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Charlotte! Have a look at this site, which offers very clear conversion tips: http://markocop.hubpages.com/hub/Baking_Conversion_Tables
Good luck, let me know how it goes!
I tried your recipe and I’ve made it several times since. It’s the perfect carrot cake, I agree, and my family and coworkers agree as well 🙂
Thank you Elvira, so happy to hear you love the recipe and it’s bringing joy to you, your family and coworkers 🙂
yum
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Hi Anne,
I’m from Germany and I’ve been in the UK for holidays last week. My friend and I had to wait for our plane at the airport so we decided to have a cup of tea. At pret-a-manger I discovered this extremely good carrot cake and now I found this recipe here on your website. Thank you so much!!! I had to try the recipe immediately! It’s so delicious!!! OMG!
I really like your blog and I’ll definitely try some of your other recipes.
Greetings from Germany!
🙂
Hi Anna,
So pleased I have found your site and this recipe! I love Prets cakes. Do you know the recipe for their Banana Cake? I have been searching for it everywhere but so far I have had no luck!
Regards
Alex
Hi! I hace literally tried more than 7 carrot cakes recipes. Somehow they never came up as expected… Until yesterday! Anne, I tried your recipe and got the perfect carrot cake! Tall, moist, good flavour, good shape! Thank you so much!!!
Hi Mica, I’m SO happy to hear that you love this cake and that it’s ended your search for the perfect carrot cake 🙂 Enjoy!
Thank you for a great recipe. Made a fabulous cake. We added half a teaspoon of lemon oil to icing and it was very good.
Ah that sounds fantastic, great idea with the lemon oil!
Gudde Moien Anne
Dain Rezept vum Carrot cake klengt fantastesch. Leider as main Englesch esou ulala. Wier et w.e.g. méiglech d’Rezept op Lëtzebuergeg, Daitch oder Franséich ze kréien.
Villmools Merci am Viraus.
Ganz léif Gréiss
Liz
Moien Liz,
ma d’Rezept ass och a mengem eischten Buch an och a mengem Zuhause bei Anne Buch – Beid ginn et och op Däitsch. Soss kanns du och den Text an Google Translate päschen, deen gett emmer gutt Iwwersetzungen. Vill Freed beim Baken!