Easter carrot cake recipe

A beautifully fruity carrot cake with layers of tangy lemon curd inside.

This Easter carrot cake doesn't stop at carrots. It also has pineapple and coconut among the ingredients, and a layer of rich mascarpone cheese separating the lines of lemon curd. It's a real treat, packed with sunny flavours and the promise of summer. It's also easier than you'd think to prepare - the pineapple and carrots keep the sponge lovely and moist, but you should still get a good rise from it. Because it's four layers, this is a big cake, that will feed up to 16 people at Easter Sunday tea. Serve with big cups of tea... or piña coladas to match the ingredients if you want to party.

Ingredients

• 300g (10oz) golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 300ml (½ pint) sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g (10oz) self-raising flour, sieved
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 60g (2oz) desiccated coconut
• 150g (5oz) carrot, peeled and grated
• 225g can pineapple in juice, drained and crushed in a blender

Filling and decoration:

• 500g tub mascarpone cheese
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 60g (2oz) caster sugar
• 8 tbs lemon curd
• Good handful of mini sugared eggs

You will need:

• 2 x 20cm (8in) round cake tins, lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Set the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. Put the sugar, eggs, sunflower oil and vanilla into a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for a few mins, until pale and well combined.
2. Sieve in the flour and cinnamon. Add the coconut, carrot and pineapple. Gently fold everything together. Divide mixture between the tins. Bake for 30 mins, until well-risen, golden and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.
3. To make the filling: Put the mascarpone, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and mix together until smooth.
4. Slice each cake in half, horizontally. Put the base of 1 cake on to a cake stand or serving plate, spread with 4 tbs lemon curd. Top with another cake and spread with half the flavoured mascarpone. Repeat with the other 2 layers of cake and arrange the sugared eggs on top.

Top tip for making this Easter carrot cake

The sugared Easter eggs tend to soften and the colours run, so pop them on the cake just before serving.

You might also like...

Easter cake ideas

Simnel cake

Easter nests