Jimmy Wong’s Spring Crowd Pleaser: Saffron Infused Carrot Cake with Cream

Spring has sprung and more outdoor gatherings, picnics and special moments abound. I often wonder what to bring to these events.

One of my most requested recipes is this saffron infused carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. This is such an easy cake to make and always has the crowds asking for more!

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

1 cup sifted flour (150g)

1 cup sugar (225g)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of saffron (15-20 strands, soaked overnight)
1 tsp bi carb soda
A pinch of salt
1.5 cups grated raw carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla paste

Cream Cheese Frosting

300g cream cheese
190g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla paste

Method

To make the carrot cake, first line the 7-inch round cake tin with baking paper by spraying the tin with a baker’s spray and using cut baking paper  to line.

Preheat the oven at 180c.

Sift all dry ingredients into your mixing bowl, using the flat beater on low, start adding the canola oil, then eggs one at a time. Add in the saffron, vanilla paste, then the carrots and mix for 1 minute. Lastly add in the walnuts for 10 seconds to break down some of the whole walnuts in the mixer.

Place the mix into the lined cake tin and into the oven for 50 minutes, ensuring you test that the cake is thoroughly cooked by using a skewer in the centre of the cake.

While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In the mixing bowl, put the softened cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl, using the flat beater again. Mix until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla paste and slowly add in the sifted caster sugar. Mix until sugar is well dissolved.

Place just over half the mix into a piping bag. The remainder will be spread in the centre of the cake.

To assemble the cake: Take the cooled cake and with a sharp knife cut horizontally in the centre of the cake. Spread the cream cheese frosting in the middle.

Now for the frosting on top, cut 5mm wide at the tip of the disposable piping bag (if you don’t have piping bags, use your large Ziploc bags) and start piping teardrops to the top of the cake. For the remaining frosting, smear to the side of the cake and using a small spatula going from bottom in an upward motion naked frost the cake. Finally finely chop up some walnuts and sprinkle to the top of the cake. Chill and serve.

For this recipe and plenty more affordable meal ideas, visit: jimmywongeats.com

Happy cooking!

Jimmy Wong,

Creative Director, JWE

President, Surry Hills Business Precinct