Best carrot cake recipe: Michael and Pippa James share baking recipe from new book Sweet Seasons

Is there anyone who doesn’t have a favourite carrot cake that transports them back in time whenever they eat it? This ubiquitous classic is enjoyed far and wide, in many different and equally delicious iterations. The world has space for infinite variations of carrot cake.

In this extract from their new book Sweet Seasons, Michael and Pippa James share their tried-and-tested version.

Carrot cake

This version has had the full James family treatment. Generously spiced, made with whole spelt flour and lots of carrots, this cake is a physically and emotionally nourishing expression of love.

Serves 8-10

4 eggs, at room temperature

250g soft brown sugar

160g light olive oil

300g whole spelt flour

¾ tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

400g coarsely grated carrot

160g walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped, plus 60g walnut halves, for decorating

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

40g icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted

40g unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla paste)

grated zest of 1 lemon

280g cream cheese, softened

80g double (heavy) cream

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin.

In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for at least 10 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer still running, slowly add the oil as if you’re making mayonnaise, until emulsified.

The batter will thin slightly, so don’t panic when it doesn’t continue to thicken.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large mixing bowl, to bring them all together and remove any lumps. The main objective here is to mix them well. The bran particles won’t go through the sieve — don’t discard them, just add them back in and mix well. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three increments, folding gently between each addition until incorporated.

Add the carrot and walnuts in three batches, folding gently between each addition until incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape around the side and bottom of the bowl to ensure the walnut and carrot are evenly distributed through the mix, and don’t sink to the bottom.

Pour the batter into your prepared tin and put it in the oven. Reduce the heat to 160C and bake for 50 minutes. Check and rotate in the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the icing sugar, butter, vanilla and lemon zest until pale and smooth. Add the cream cheese a little at a time, continuing to mix at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the cream and mix just until combined — the mixture should be a spreadable consistency. Be careful not to overmix it, otherwise it will split.

When the cake has cooled, cut it in half horizontally and place the bottom half onto a serving plate. Spread it with half the cream cheese frosting, then replace the top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake and decorate with walnuts.

This is an edited extract from Sweet Seasons by Michael and Pippa James (Hardie Grant, $50).