Carrot Walnut Cake | Wholewheat Carrot Cake

Moist & Easy Carrot Walnut Cake is such a beauty to look at and tastes incredible. This cake makes a perfect brunch, snack or dessert! Every time I make this cake, it disappears fast. Soft, flavourful and tastes great as it is or with some cream cheese frosting. Either way, this cake is sure to impress you.

Carrot Walnut Cake

Every time you visited a coffee shop or bakery, have you felt tempted by those beautifully decorated Carrot Cakes with a rich frosting on top? I am sharing one such cake minus the frosting here. I LOVE TEA TIME CAKES. Carrot cake is one that you can make all year round. Such quick cake recipes are one of the best breakfast out there. From kids to adults, everyone enjoys a cake for breakfast. Isn’t it? Not just breakfast. It also makes a great dessert with some fancy cream cheese frosting.

I love carrots and they are part of my meal on most days. So, it’s not surprising for me to love a good carrot cake. Using vegetables like carrot or beetroot in cakes may be unusual for a few. But let me tell you. It tastes so good! The first time I baked a cake using vegetables was when I attended my baking class. We were asked to create a recipe using beetroot or zucchini. I was so apprehensive but was mildly surprised with the end result.

Similarly, this carrot walnut cake will definitely surprise you in every good way. With the addition of some crunchy walnuts, this cake is perfect in every way. Breakfast turns amazing every time I make this cake. I admit this is not the fancy chocolate cake with a rich chocolate frosting. But for everyday treats, this cake is more of a wholesome and healthy choice. The best thing about this cake is that it has just the right amount of sweetness.

Ingredients for this Cake

Whole Wheat Flour – I have used Indian Whole Wheat Aata in this recipe. You can use all purpose flour in its place.

Carrot – Use freshly peeled and grated carrot.

Walnuts – Finely chopped raw walnuts.

Egg – Adds structure, leavining, colour and texture to the cake.

Sugar – This cake is mildly sweet. You can also use brown sugar in this recipe.

Milk – I have used whole milk in this recipe.

Oil – I have used sunflower oil in this cake recipe.

Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Leavening agents which help the batter to rise. Use fresh and good quality powder.

Salt – Just a pinch to enhance the taste.

Vanilla Extract – Make sure you use good quality vanilla extract. Homemade or Store Bought.

Cinnamon Powder & Ginger Powder – Gives a little bit of spice and flavour to the cake. Can omit but highly recommended to use it in small quantity.

Step by Step Instructions to Make the Perfect Carrot Walnut Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease & dust the loaf pan. I have used this 13*4 inch loaf pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment paper.

In a big bowl sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & ginger powder. Keep aside.

In another bowl add in the egg, sugar, milk, vanilla extract and mix it well with a whisk. Make sure sugar is completely dissolved and all ingredients are fully mixed.

To this, add the grated carrot and mix once.

Add the finely chopped walnuts and mix again.

Now sift in the dry ingredients little by little. Mix using a whisk or Fold in using a spatula. Do not over mix.

Once the batter is ready, transfer it to the baking pan. Level and tap once. Top it with few more chopped walnut pieces if desired.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Once out of the oven, rest the pan undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Now loosen up the edges of the pan with a knife. Invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Now turn the loaf right side up and let it cool completely on the rack before cutting.

Tips & Suggestions

Milk & Egg must be in room temperature before adding it to the cake.

Make sure you use fresh and good quality ingredients.

Sieve the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients. Also, make sure you do not over mix the ingredients.

For this recipe, use finely grated carrots and finely chopped walnuts.

Make sure the batter is neither too thick or too thin. It should be in a flowy, pourable consistency.

Insert a skewer or toothpick in the center of the cake to check if it is done. It shouldn’t come out with a sticky batter. If it does, bake for 5 more minutes and check again. If it comes out with just few moist crumbs, the cake is done.

Do not open the oven to check if its done before atleast 20 minutes of baking time.

Each oven is different. Some ovens may take longer to bake. In some ovens, it may brown too quickly. Understand your oven and bake accordingly. If you feel it is browning too fast, cover the top with an aluminium foil.

Do not cut the cake till it is completely cooled down. The cake may crumble and break.

The pan size plays an important role in the baking time. If using a large baking tin, time may increase. If using a short or smaller one, time will decrease. I always prefer using a taller baking tin because the cake gets a good height. I use this pan and love it.

Substitutes to make a lovely Carrot Walnut Cake

Instead of whole dairy milk, use any plant based milk of your choice.

Use any flavourless oil in place of sunflower oil. Usually, I prefer avocado oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil in cakes. If using coconut oil, make sure it is melted and then measure it.

I have used whole wheat flour in this recipe ( Indian Aata). You can use all-purpose flour or half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour too.

Use any other nut in place of walnuts. Raisins can be added as well.

If ginger or cinnamon powder is not available, you can even add ¼ teaspoon of all spice powder. A little bit of spice gives a nice kick to this cake.

Storage Instructions

Once the cake is cooled down to room temperature, carefully slice and store the pieces in an air tight container.

The cake can be stored at room temperature for 3 days.

This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze this Carrot Walnut Cake ?

Yes of course! I always do this. Once the cake is cooled to room temperature, wrap it using a cling film and freeze for up to 3 months. In case you want to freeze the leftovers, you can individually slice the pieces, wrap them up in cling film and freeze it. When you wish to eat the cake, thaw at room temperature for around 15 minutes and then warm it in a microwave for 10-15 seconds. Tastes as good as a freshly baked cake.

IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE, DO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS AND RATING WITH ME. ALSO, DON’T FORGET TO SHARE THE PICTURES WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM. FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPE UPDATES.

Other Recipes To Try

THE BEST VANILLA CAKE

MAWA CAKE

NUTELLA MUFFINS

Recipe Card