afelia's kitchen
Adapted from my original Carrot Cake recipe, this tray bake is just as delicious but much easier to make and perfect for sharing. My Coconut and Jam Sponge recipe has proved very popular with all of you and was also featured in a Buzzfeed article, so I decided to adapt my carrot cake recipe into a tray bake seeing as they’re much easier to bake and serve. This recipe is just as delicious as the original one but can be whipped up in less time and with less washing, whoop whoop! So if you have a family gathering or party planned, you’ll definitely want to make this – it has the added advantage of being suitable for baking a day or two ahead of serving, the flavours become more pronounced when the cake is a day or two old, that is if you can leave it to sit for that long. Happy baking!
Makes 18 Pcs
You will need: for Afelia’s Carrot Cake Tray Bake
200g dark brown sugar
125ml oil
4 medium eggs
220g self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground ginger
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
3 large carrots grated
For the topping:
160g butter, cubed
130g icing sugar
200g soft cheese
60g pecans finely chopped
a few strands of grated carrot
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 before starting. Next mix together 200g dark brown sugar, 125ml oil and 4 eggs until smooth.
2. Sift in 220g self raising flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ground ginger and 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, mix together until well combined. Add 3 large grated carrots lastly (reserve a few strands in water for decorating) and mix one last time.
3. Pour the batter into a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, my tray measured approx 30cm × 40cm. Bake in the top of your oven for 40 – 45 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. While the cake bakes make the frosting.
4. Cream 160g of butter using a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Once the butter is smooth, slowly add 130g icing sugar, a little at a time and mix inbetween each addition. Lastly add the soft cheese and beat together until smooth. Finely chop 60g of pecans (you may use walnuts or any other nut if you prefer).
5. Allow the cake to COOL COMPLETELY before attempting to add the frosting. Use a palette knife and spread the frosting evenly on top. Lastly sprinkle with the chopped nuts and strands of grated carrot. Serve at teatime and watch it disappear!
- 200g dark brown sugar
- 125ml oil
- 4 medium eggs
- 220g self raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 large carrots grated
- 160g butter, cubed
- 130g icing sugar
- 200g soft cheese
- 60g pecans finely chopped
- a few strands of grated carrot
- Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 before starting. Next mix together 220g dark brown sugar, 125ml oil and 4 eggs until smooth.
- Sift in 220g self raising flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ground ginger and 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, mix together until well combined. Add 3 large grated carrots lastly (reserve a few strands in water for decorating) and mix one last time.
- Pour the batter into a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, my tray measured approx 30cm × 40cm. Bake in the top of your oven for 40 - 45 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. While the cake bakes make the frosting.
- Cream 160g of butter using a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Once the butter is smooth, slowly add 130g icing sugar, a little at a time and mix inbetween each addition. Lastly add the soft cheese and beat together until smooth. Finely chop 60g of pecans (you may use walnuts or any other nut if you prefer)._
- Allow the cake to COOL COMPLETELY before attempting to add the frosting. Use a palette knife and spread the frosting evenly on top. Lastly sprinkle with the chopped nuts and strands of grated carrot. Serve at teatime and watch it disappear!
If you like the recipe please share with friends and family, also follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Questions? Leave a comment below or message me on Facebook.
Zehra
Hi Afelia,
This is now my go to carrot cake recipe- it finishes within minutes once it’s served at a family gathering! Thank you. Can I use melted coconut oil in the cake or does it have to be vegetable oil pls?
afelia’s kitchen
You could certainly try using melted coconut oil although I would be careful about using one with a strong aroma as it could change the taste of the cake.
Naz
Jazakillah khaira it was delicious and the recipe was easy to follow. I used normal butter. The topping came out runny. Was we supposed use the unsalted hard block butters?
afelia’s kitchen
Yes, you should always use block butter for buttercream/frosting as the butter you’re referring to has oil added to it so it becomes runny when used for buttercream. I do hope you’ll attempt it again with the right kind of butter, happy you found the recipe easy to follow and delicious. 🙂 xx
Sadika
Iv just made this and it looks delicious. Will be taking the tray bake round to my inlaws Insha’Allah. Thank you for the recipe
afelia’s kitchen
I hope you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Hafsa Patel
I made this for my mum who is a huge fan of carrot cake and she ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! My dad and I have never really been a fan of carrot cake but this recipe was something else, so yummy and full of flavor but not too heavy either. Even sent some to my sister but my nieces(who have NEVER eaten carrot cake in their lives) ate it all before she could get a taste lol. Safe to say I’ll definitely be making this again very soon! Might even become an Eid staple!
afelia’s kitchen
Wow, talk about going down well!! I think it’s fair to say the recipe was a success, well done for introducing them all to carrot cake! 🙂
Tannu
This cake is absolutely delicious!!! I tweaked it slightly by adding orange zest and some orange juice. Tastes incredible even 3 days after. My mum thought I had bought this from the shops! Thank you Afia for recipes that really work and easy to follow. You are amazing for sharing your recipes XX
Rahima
First time making this cake and it was delicious! I don’t usually eat carrot cakes because of the raisins, currants etc, so I was excited to try this recipe! Will definitely make it again! 👍
Nashreen Harris
Salams Afelia
I’ve make this traybake for the 2nd time and it hasn’t risen very much? Not sure why? It’s literally same height as the tin?
afelia’s kitchen
It doesn’t need to rise very much, the frosting will add some height also.
Mirza ahmed
I made it yesterday it’s so tasty everyone loved it thank you sister for the recipe.and also following your recipe’s are easy.
Amber
Hi Afelia thank u so much for this recipie, the tray I have measures 13×7 could you advise how I should adjust the ingredients for this size?
Thank you so much!
afelia’s kitchen
I have no idea, sorry. x
Imran
Very nice and easy carrot cake , thank you
(200g sugar ingredients but in method 220g ?)
Which one should it be
afelia’s kitchen
Should be 220g but it won’t make a huge difference either way. x
Sara
Hi Afelia! I made this for iftar for family and they couldn’t stop licking their fingers! Thanks so much for this, sponge wad so kinky and fluffy. I ordered a tray to match your measurements so it was a 30x 40 tray but 3/4 inches deep. Unfortunately the soo ge was only an inch thick so could you advise how I can adjust the measurements to increase the sponge please x
afelia’s kitchen
Hmm, not sure why your carrot cake wasn’t thicker, I’ll have to check and get back to you…..
Aneesa
Beautiful
Aneesa
I followed the recipe but made 2 cake with butter cream in the middle and on top. Mashallah everyone loved it. Many thanks for the recipe.
afelia’s kitchen
You’re most welcome! 🙂 x
Parvin
I made this carrot cake to take to my in laws for dessert after iftar and it went down a treat…love that it doesn’t contain raisins as me and my brother in law don’t like them much. Some of my in laws had it with custard and I had it with a nice cup of tea. The frosting on top is soo finger licking good and the cake it self was just so light, tasted just as good the following day. Thank you for sharing x
Parvin
I made this carrot cake to take to my in laws for dessert after iftar and it went down a treat…love that it doesn’t contain raisins as me and my brother in law don’t like them much. Some of my in laws had it with custard and I had it with a nice cup of tea. The frosting on top is soo finger licking good and the cake it self was just so light, tasted just as good the following day. Thank you for sharing x
afelia’s kitchen
I’m so pleased the cake was a hit, thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Laura
Hi Afelia, the biggest tray I have is 23 x 30 cm, would this still be OK to use, and just bake it for longer? Would I need to adjust the temperature at all? Thank you
afelia’s kitchen
Not sure that’s big enough to bake this, it is a fair bit smaller than the tin I used and I wouldn’t want you to end up with soggy cake batter. Probably best to use a larger cake tin to be honest. x
Farhana
Assalamu’Alaikum
Thanks for the recipe I’ve made this today for a party tomorrow – should I leave it in the fridge overnight? – thanks
afelia’s kitchen
Wa alaikum as salaam…..you can leave it at room temperature unless it’s very hot where you are, in which case I would refrigerate it. x
Hani
Made this today for a family gathering but used light brown sugar and left out the icing. Everyone said it was delicious , even the people who hate sugar! Thank you for the recipe!
afelia’s kitchen
You are most welcome, I’m so happy it went down well! 🙂 xx
Aisha
Hi, I made this cake tonight and alhamdulillah it was amazing! Such a simple recipe but tastes incredible. I will definitely be making this again, thank you for sharing!
afelia’s kitchen
Aww that’s brilliant, I’m so glad it worked a treat for you! You’re welcome. 🙂 xx
kalsuma
Hi I’m gona make this cake but can I use mascarpone for the frosting instead of cream cheese and can I use the same recipe to bake in a round tin instead of tray bake pls
afelia’s kitchen
If you want to bake a round cake follow my original carrot cake recipe, not this one. That recipe uses mascarpone instead of cream cheese. x
Kalsuma
Hi can I add chopped walnuts nuts into the mix along wid the carrots too?
afelia’s kitchen
Yes of course you can. x
Mehak
Do you have a gram estimate of how much carrot to add? Carrots here are long but skinny.
For the soft cheese, would either cream cheese work? Or should it be mascarpone like you used in the round carrot cake recipe?
afelia’s kitchen
Sorry I don’t know off the top of my head, if in doubt just use one more carrot, I don’t think it will affect the bake. For the soft cheese normal cream cheese will work, doesn’t have to be mascarpone. 🙂 x
Kanvel Amin
Hi,
This is an absolutely gorgeous tray bake! Totally foolproof 🙈
Tastes divine without being too rich or overpowering. 🥕🧁🧡
afelia’s kitchen
Hey,
Thanks for the feedback,
Happy you love this one, it’s a winner
I love the way you wrote your review thought I’d do the same
😉
Mehak
I made this over the weekend and it came out SO SO good!! Super easy and easy to follow. My husband is a big fan of carrot cake and he really liked it.
I ended up using about 300 grams of carrots and used cream cheese for the frosting! Thanks for your help!
afelia’s kitchen
Brilliant, I’m so thrilled you and your husband both enjoyed it so much! 🙂 xx
Samira
This is a really easy recipe for an amazing dessert. Carrot cake is a household favourite and this particlular one tops every one we’ve ever had. I make it so regularly and no ones got bored of it yet! It’s such a quick and easy recipe to follow, and feeds a lot of mouths. Thank you for sharing the recipe Afelia! xx ♥️
afelia’s kitchen
Aww thank you so much, makes me so happy to hear that you all love this recipe! 🙂 x
Nadia
Hi Afelia,
Thankyou so much for this reciepe, it is the most easiest and quickest carrot traybake I have made.
afelia’s kitchen
Aww you’re most welcome, I’m happy you found the recipe so easy to follow! 🙂 xx
Saniya
This is sooooo easy to make!! It was my first time baking a cake, and it turned out amazing. My grandfather loved it the most as carrot cake is his favourite! Thank you for the recipe! Lots of love from Vancouver, Canada!
Rahima
Hi
Just wanted to know should the butter be salted or unsalted?
Hanna
What temp is gas mark 4 please? I have a fan assisted oven
afelia’s kitchen
You can Google the question to find out.
Fsir
I made this for after school snack. Left out the frosting. It still tasted amazing
afelia’s kitchen
Glad you enjoyed it but it’s the bomb with the frosting! 😀