Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Icing

Fresh carrots, nuts, fruits, and warm spices are the stars of this moist and delicious homemade carrot cake. Finished with lemon-vanilla syrup, our Madagascar Pure Vanilla Bean Paste gives the perfect true-to-bean taste to the cream cheese icing. You can't go wrong by baking this cake for a birthday party, potluck, or to surprise your friends after a long week!

Ingredients

For the carrot cake

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup and 2 tablespoons superfine sugar (also known as golden caster sugar in UK)
4 eggs, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
3 cups carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 cup canned pineapple, roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/3 cup sultanas (also known as seedless white raisins)
1 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

For the lemon and vanilla syrup

1/4 cup unrefined brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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For the vanilla cream cheese icing

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cream cheese
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Paste
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Directions

Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually pour in the eggs and vanilla extract, then add the flour and continue to mix for 1 minute. Fold in the carrot, pineapple, zest, spices, sultana raisins and nuts.

Divide the cake batter equally between the two cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle oven rack for 30-35 minutes, or until tops are golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted into the center of the cakes.

Lemon and Vanilla Syrup

Heat the sugar and lemon juice together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn both cakes out onto a wire rack and brush the tops of the warm cakes with the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool while you make the icing.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla bean paste together until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and continue to mix until you achieve a spreading consistency.

Place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and cover with half of the icing. Place the second cake on top of the first and cover with the remaining icing. Decorate with more zest, chopped pistachios and edible flowers if desired.

For the carrot cake

260 grams (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
228 grams superfine sugar
4 eggs, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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250 grams self-raising flour
150 grams carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
85 grams canned pineapple, roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
60 grams sultanas (also known as seedless white raisins)
100 grams pistachios, roughly chopped
55 grams pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

For the lemon and vanilla syrup

50 grams unrefined brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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For the vanilla cream cheese icing

70 grams unsalted butter, softened
450 grams icing sugar, sifted
180 grams cream cheese
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
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Directions

Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two 20cm round cake pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually pour in the eggs and vanilla extract, then add the flour and continue to mix for 1 minute. Fold in the carrot, pineapple, zest, spices, sultana raisins and nuts.

Divide the cake batter equally between the two cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle oven rack for 30-35 minutes, or until tops are golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted into the center of the cakes.

Lemon and Vanilla Syrup

Heat the sugar and lemon juice together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn both cakes out onto a wire rack and brush the tops of the warm cakes with the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool while you make the icing.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla bean paste together until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and continue to mix until you achieve a spreading consistency.

Place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and cover with half of the icing. Place the second cake on top of the first and cover with the remaining icing. Decorate with more zest, chopped pistachios and edible flowers if desired.

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    35 minsprep & cool

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    30 minscook

  • Nielsen-Massey yield icon

    8-10servings

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract