Hot Cross Spiced Carrot Cake - Fairy Baking

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Hot Cross Spiced Carrot Cake

A fusion of moist carrot cake and hot cross bun flavours. Loaded with spices, sultanas, and mixed peel, topped with creamy icing, candied orange, and pistachios. It’s the perfect Easter treat!

Product fairy
25 mins
1 hour 10 mins
Serves 16

Ingredients

  • 375g Fairy margarine, diced, softened
  • 2 cups brown sugar (360g), firmly packed
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 5 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 (160g) cup sultanas
  • ¾ (90g) cup dried mixed peel
  • 3 ½ cups (350g) grated carrot (about 3 large carrots)
  • 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 3 ¼ (490g) cups self-raising flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk

White Fluffy Icing

  • 250g Copha, sliced, softened
  • 3 cups icing sugar mixture, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • Candied orange rind, syrup and chopped pistachios (if using)

Candied Orange Rind and Syrup (optional)

  • 3 medium-large oranges
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • ½ cup water

Method

Spiced Carrot Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C (fan-forced). Grease and line all sides of a 22cm x 33cm (across top) 5cm deep roasting pan with baking paper, ensuring a 3cm overhang on each of the long sides.
  2. Using an electric mixer beat the margarine, sugar and vanilla for about 5 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
  3. Add carrot, sultana’s and mixed peel and stir until combined. Add bicarb, baking powder and spices. Add sifted flour and buttermilk in two batches. Stirring between batches until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top.
  4. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes, covering with foil after 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

White Fluffy Icing

  1. Place Copha in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on a low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat for a further 3 – 4 minutes, or until white and creamy. Beat in vanilla.
  2. Gradually add ¼ cup icing sugar at a time, beating until combined and smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of boiling water once half of the icing sugar has been added, beating until combined and fluffy. If frosting isn’t smooth and fluffy, either add extra boiling water or microwave in 5 second bursts to soften and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Spread frosting over top of cake. Decorate with candied orange and pistachios.

Candied Orange Rind and Syrup (optional)

  1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a thin layer of orange rind from 3 oranges. Remove any white pith. Cut rind into thin slices.
  2. Bring to the boil caster sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rind and simmer for 5 minutes until candied. Set aside to cool in syrup. Top cake with candied pieces. drizzle with syrup just before serving.

TIPS:

  • Unfrosted cake can be made a day ahead.
  • Frosted cake will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Roasting pan cake tin size is available in most major supermarkets and department stores such as K Mart.

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