Carrot Cake Recipes UK – Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson Carrot Cake

In her carrot cake recipe Nigella cleverly uses crystallised ginger along with walnuts. Its a rustic teatime treat, bursting with warmth from the spicy ginger and the crunchy walnuts. Each mouthful is moist and spiced, and topped with ginger cream cheese icing – its a show-stopper.

By Nigella Lawson
From Carrot Cake Recipes: The Best from UK and Around the World

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Nigella’s ginger and walnut carrot cake scores a Nutri-Score of D, reflecting its generous use of oil, sugar, and cream cheese icing. Enjoy as a special treat within a balanced diet.

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Ingredients

• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 175g soft light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 200ml vegetable oil (plus more for greasing)
• 200g carrots (peeled and coarsely grated)
• 100g walnut pieces (roughly chopped or crumbled)
• 75g crystallised ginger (finely chopped)

For the icing

• 100g unsalted butter (soft)
• 100g icing sugar (sieved if lumpy)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 100g full-fat cream cheese (fridge-cold)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (coarsely grated)

To decorate

• 25g walnut pieces (roughly chopped)
• 25g crystallised ginger (chopped)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Mix the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat the soft light brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil until fully combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, scraping the bowl to incorporate any flour clinging to the sides. The mixture will be stiff at this stage.
4. Beat in the grated carrots to loosen the batter, then fold in the 100g walnuts and 75g crystallised ginger until evenly distributed.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until set, golden, and a tester comes out with only a few crumbs. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.
6. While the cake bakes, make the icing. Beat the butter and icing sugar together until creamy. Beat in the cornflour, then half the cream cheese. Once incorporated, beat in the remaining cream cheese. Squeeze the juice from the grated ginger using kitchen paper and beat into the icing. Cover and refrigerate.
7. When the cake is completely cool, remove the icing from the fridge for 20 minutes to soften. Beat briefly to ensure smoothness.
8. Unmould the cake onto a plate. Spread the icing thickly over the top, swirling for texture. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and crystallised ginger for a beautiful finish.

Tip: Bake the cake up to 2 days ahead and store un-iced in an airtight container. The icing can be made a day ahead and chilled. The un-iced cake also freezes well for up to 3 months; defrost and ice before serving. Store leftovers in a cool place for up to 5 days.

You have to try the BBC Good Food recipe for carrot cake – its a classic, easy carrot cake recipe trusted by millions of UK home bakers.

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What can you serve with this

1. Crème fraîche – Its tangy creaminess balances the cake’s sweet spice and rich icing.
2. Poached pears – Their gentle sweetness and soft texture complement the ginger and walnut notes.
3. Spiced chai tea – The warming spices in chai echo the cake’s ginger and create a comforting pairing.
4. Vanilla ice cream – A cool, creamy scoop brings out the cake’s warmth and texture.

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Nutri-score Health Check

This recipe receives a Nutri-Score of D, reflecting its generous use of oil, sugar, and cream cheese icing. The score is automatically calculated from the ingredients and serves as a guide only.

Positive Factors

• Carrots: Add fibre, vitamin A, and natural sweetness.
• Walnuts: Provide healthy fats, protein, and minerals.
• Ginger: Brings antioxidants and a warming flavour.

Negative Factors

• Soft light brown sugar and icing sugar: Raise the sugar content.
• Vegetable oil and cream cheese: Increase the fat content, especially saturated fat.

While this ginger and walnut carrot cake offers some nutritional benefits from carrots, walnuts, and ginger, it is best enjoyed as an occasional treat due to its sugar and fat content.