Sultana and Orange Carrot Cake Recipe

For those days when a piece of cake is on the menu we’ve made a healthier version of carrot cake that tastes just as good. It’s a moist, warmly spiced cinnamon sponge with carrots, sultanas, and zingy orange zest - topped with a light orange icing that tastes amazing.

 Our Sultana and Orange Carrot Cake is still a treat, but simple swaps like using rapeseed oil instead of butter, opting for wholemeal flour and using just a drizzle of orange icing rather than cream cheese frosting make this a much healthier bake. And by using fresh orange, cinnamon, and sultanas, there’s no compromise on flavour.

Serves: 15-20 portions

Prep time: 25 minutes, plus cooking time

Cook time: 40 minutes

Suitable for freezing: yes

Ingredients:

• 225g light soft brown sugar
• 225ml rapeseed oil
• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 225g plain wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 225g carrots, grated
• 115g sultanas
• 1 orange, zested
• 115g icing sugar
• 4 tsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.
2. Grease a 28 x 18cm (11 x 7in) cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper; set aside.
3. Put brown sugar, rapeseed oil and eggs in a bowl; whisk together using a balloon whisk.
4. Fold in flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
5. Fold in grated carrots, sultanas, and orange zest.
6. Transfer mixture to prepared tin and level the surface.
7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
8. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off lining paper, and turn cake back over onto another wire rack. Leave to cool completely before icing.
9. In a small bowl mix icing sugar and orange juice together until smooth.
10. Thinly spread or decoratively drizzle icing over top of cake; leave to set for 10 minutes.
11. Cut cake into portions and serve.

Looking for more low-fat desserts to curb your sweet tooth? Why not try our heart-healthy sweet potato and cinnamon pancakes recipe or our fruit and nut flapjacks from our Healthy Hearts Programme.