Chai Spiced Carrot Bundt Cake with Orange Icing
Looking for a delicious and unique dessert that's sure to impress your guests? Try this recipe for Carrot Cake Bundt Cake infused with chai tea and topped with zesty orange icing! This cake is a fun twist on the classic carrot cake, with the added flavors of chai tea and orange. The chai tea infusion adds a warm and spicy flavor to the cake, while the orange icing provides a bright and tangy finish. This recipe is easy to follow and yields a beautiful bundt cake that's perfect for special occasions or even as a sweet treat for the family. So why not give this Carrot Cake Bundt Cake with chai tea and orange icing a try and impress everyone with your baking skills!
Who Made the First Carrot Cake?
It is believed that the very first carrot cake, or version of carrot cake was made during the middle ages in Europe. Carrots are a sweet vegetable and can be used to naturally sweeten a cake. The word cake comes from the Viking word ‘kaka’ and this is where the first types of cake or puddings were initially enjoyed. Over the years, the recipe has adapted quite a bit to the carrot cake that we know and love today.
Does Carrot Cake Taste Like Carrots?
Carrot cakes do have a very subtle taste of carrots. There are some individuals that believe that a cake that tastes like carrots will be unpleasant. However, enjoying a carrot cake is a far from unpleasant experience! I love a huge slice of carrot cake with a hot cuppa. Using carrots in a cake is very similar to using pumpkin in pie, they are both sweet vegetables suitable for adding natural sweetness to desserts.
Are Carrot Cakes Dairy Free?
Most carrot cakes are made dairy free as a traditional carrot cake is made with oil rather than butter. However, some carrot cakes are made with cream cheese icing which is not dairy free. This carrot cake recipe is dairy free and made with coconut oil instead of vegetable oil or butter. To top the cake, any buttercream or cream cheese frosting can be used. My recipe below includes a dairy free ‘buttercream’ option for those avoiding milk products, like I do because of food sensitivities.
Do you use Walnuts or Pecans in Carrot Cake?
My recipe calls for a cup of mixed chopped nuts, I like to use half crisp buttery pecans and half crunchy almonds. Any of your favourite nuts will work here. Feel free to use walnuts, pecans or whatever takes your fancy in this carrot cake.
If you love cakes full of sultanas and pecans, you may also love this black tea infused sultana cake.
How to Make this Chai Spiced Carrot Bundt Cake from Scratch
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake
6 Heaped Teaspoons of Masala Chai
4 Large Carrots - Grated
2 Cups (240g) of Plain/All Purpose Flour
2 Cups (400g) of Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Cup (140g) of Chopped Nuts
1/2 Cup (80g) of Raisins
3/4 Cups (150g) of Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup (4fl oz) of Warm Water
2 Tablespoons of Orange Zest
2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
For the Icing
1/2 Cup (115g) of Butter or Palm Shortening
2 Cups (240g) of Icing Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Orange Zest plus 2 Tablespoons of Juice
METHOD
For the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/Gas Mark 4 and grease a bundt pan with butter or shortening, and dust with flour.
Firstly, brew the masala chai in 1/4 cup (4fl oz) of freshly boiled water. Let steep for 5 minutes, remove the leaves and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, sieve the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine.
Next, add the steeped tea and orange zest, mix well.
Lastly, fold in the grated carrots, mixed nuts and raisins.
Pour into your prepared bundt tin and place in the oven for around 50 minutes. Check your cake after 35 minutes to ensure its not browning too quickly. If it is, cover with foil for the remaining 15 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.
Whilst the cake is cooling down, make the buttercream icing.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, icing sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients until really smooth. Once the cake is completely cool, spoon onto the cake and enjoy!
