Moist One Bowl Spelt Carrot Cake with cream cheese

Sue Maree P -

Making a moist carrot cake is even easier when there's only one bowl. This is my original moist spelt carrot cake recipe transformed into a celebration Cake. A layered spelt carrot cake filled with my tangy not too sweet cream cheese filling and topping. I don't like an overly sweet frosting, I make my cream cheese frosting without butter and only a little icing sugar and a tang of lemon (leave this out if preferred). It tastes great without being overly sweet.
Everyone loves a moist carrot cake and to make this moist carrot cake all ingredients are mixed together in one bowl. Super easy. This carrot cake I made with melted butter and wholegrain spelt flour. Can I adapt this cake to use normal flour, The answer is yes. This recipe is extremely forgiving and versatile. Can I make this cake vegan friendly too. Well, you could easily replace the melted butter with oil and the eggs with flax egg (1 tablespoon  ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoon water rested for 15 minutes to thicken). My moist one bowl spelt carrot carrot cake is always a favourite amongst my family and friends.

Takes = 25 minutes prep. + 1-2 hours to cool, 10 minutes to decorate
Bakes = 18-20 minutes
Makes = 8 pieces



Ingredients

  • Wholegrain Spelt Flour – 225g (1+1/2 cups)
  • Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Bicarbonate of Soda – 1 teaspoon
  • Ground Cinnamon – 2 teaspoon
  • Caster sugar – 50g (1/4 cup)
  • Dark brown Sugar – 150g (2/3 cup)
  • Large eggs – 2 eggs (or swap for 2 flax eggs* works well too)
  • Unsalted butter Melted (or swap for oil) – 125ml (1/2 cup)
  • Vanilla Extract – 2 teaspoon
  • Grated carrots – 300g peeled

Not Too Sweet Cream Cheese Filling and Topping

  • Cream Cheese – 2 x 180g packs
  • Sifted Icing Sugar – 6 tbsp
  • Lemon Juice – 1/2 to whole juice of a lemon (to taste)

Method

Step 1
PREHEAT 160˚C fan forced oven, and grease and paper line the base of round 3 x 18cm tins (7") or your choice. See notes above.

Step 2
PREPARE the carrots, trim ends, peel and grate 300g of carrots (you could include up to 400g if you like). Melt butter and allow to cool slightly.

Step 3
WHISK flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), cinnamon in a large bowl. Add both types of sugar and whisk through. Add in beaten egg, vanilla, melted butter and mix until combined. Then fold in the grated carrots until blended.

Step 4
POUR the batter evenly into 3 tins, I ended up measuring about 320 to 330g per tin. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, check with a skewer to ensure they are cooked right through. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the tins, then I cool upside down on my cooling racks this helps flatten out the tops.

Step 5 Cream Cheese Filling and Topping
BEAT cream cheese until soft, sift in icing sugar then add lemon juice a little at a time, to taste.

Step 6
PLACE the bottom cake either on your serving cake plate or a turnable. Add a thick layer of cream cheese filling. Then repeat layers. Finishing the top off with an extra thick layer of cheese cheese. Serve immediately. Store covered in the fridge to 3 to 4 days.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips


What baking tins can I use?
3 layers =  3 x 18cm (7") cake tins, and only 18 to 20 minutes to bake.
2 layers = 2 x 20cm (8") tins or one and cut through one single cake into two. This will take around 30 to 40 minutes to bake (as a guide).
1 layer = 1 x 23cm (9") this takes 40 to 50 minutes to bake.