When you’re craving something sweet, something that always hits the spot is a good slice of cake.
And while it’s easy enough to run out to your nearest shop or cafe, you can’t deny that there is something very satisfying and rewarding about making one yourself.
Home baking is also the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long week, so if you’re in need of a good recipe, then this Mary Berry one could do the trick.
Her recipe for carrot cake with a creamy mascarpone topping requires no fancy ingredients, and all comes together in one bowl.
It also takes just 15 minutes of prep time before being popped in the oven and baked to perfection.
Carrot cake has always been a real teatime staple thanks to its spiced, fluffy sponge paired with creamy icing on the top.
And with Mary Berry’s recipe, it’s easier to make than you might think. The description on the website reads:” Always a popular cake, this American carrot cake needs to be stored in the fridge because of the mascarpone topping. Walnut pieces are cheaper than walnut halves and are perfect for cakes.”
Here’s everything you need to make it. Before you start, you’ll need a 20cm deep round cake tin.
Mary Berry’s carrot cake
Ingredients – for the cake
- 225g self-raising flour
- Two teaspoons baking powder
- 150g light muscovado sugar
- 50g walnut pieces, chopped
- 100g carrots, coarsely grated
- Two ripe bananas, mashed
- Two eggs
- 150 ml sunflower oil
For the topping
- 250g tub mascarpone cheese
- Two to three teaspoons vanilla extract
- Two tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
- about 25g walnut pieces, chopped
Method
Lightly grease a 20 cm deep round cake tin and line the base with a circle of non-stick baking parchment. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Measure all of the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and mix well until thoroughly blended, an electric mixer is best for this but of course you can also beat by hand with a wooden spoon. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin and gently level the surface.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 50-60 minutes or until the cake is well risen, golden and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin. A fine skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then loosen the sides of the cake from the tin with a small palette knife or blunt knife, turn the cake out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
For the topping, mix the mascarpone cheese in a small bowl with the vanilla extract and the sieved icing sugar. Spread evenly over the top of the cake and scatter the chopped walnuts on top. Store in the refrigerator.
