Carrot Cake Tray Bake

I make a mean carrot cake...but decided that Salty Ginger also needed a bomb carrot cake tray bake.

However, when I tried to turn my best-ever carrot cake into a tray bake, it didn't quite translate to what I wanted, so I tweaked the recipe a bit, and landed up with another delicious carrot cake!

Why You Will Love this Carrot Cake Tray Bake

• This carrot cake and cream cheese icing is super easy to make!
• This carrot cake tray bake is perfect for larger get-togethers.
• The moist, delicious carrot cake is topped with an oh-so-tasty cream cheese icing.
• The tang of the cream cheese pairs well with the carrot cake base.
• This cake is made with butter and oil which means it has the richness of the butter and the moistness of the oil.

Ingredients

Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.

Room Temperature Ingredients

Use room-temperature ingredients! Using room temperature ingredients ensures that ingredients in the batter or dough will incorporate easier. Take note that room temperature refers to around 20°C/68F.

• To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place them into warm water for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• To bring butter to room temperature quickly, cut the butter into cubes and zap in the microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals. Or place the cubes in a bowl over warm water (such as with a double boiler) over low heat for 1 minute!
• Milk, buttermilk, and cream can be brought to room temperature by zapping in the microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals. Or on low heat for a minute or two swirling every 10-15 seconds.

How to Make a Carrot Cake Tray Bake

Step 1 - Preheat and Prep

Preheat the oven to 170°C/340F. Peel and grate the carrots, and set aside. Finely chop the walnuts and set them aside. Grease and line a 9"x13" baking tin.

Step 2 - Combine the dry ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Toss in the walnuts and mix through.

Step 3 - Beat the eggs and sugar

Either using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture has lightened and has doubled in size. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4 - Emulsify the oil and butter

With the mixer running, slowly pour in the oil and melted butter, allowing it to emulsify. Then add in the vanilla and mix through for about 20 seconds.

Step 4 - Add the carrots

Fold the grated carrots through the wet ingredients. If using a stand mixer, swap out the whisk for the paddle attachment.

Step 5 - Add the dry ingredients

Add in the dry ingredients and mix gently until combined.

Step 6 - Bake the cake

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The cake is done when a cake tester comes out clean.

Step 7 - Let the cake cool

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, before turning it out onto a wired cooling rack.

Step 8 - Creaming the cream cheese and butter

NOTE - Room temperature cream cheese and butter are essential for a smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting! During the cooler months, I also like to allow my bowls and mixer to warm up in sunny places.

Cream together the cream cheese frosting and butter together at a medium to high speed until both are well combined, soft and fluffy.

Step 9 - Add the icing sugar

Add the icing sugar to the cream cheese mixture and mix together at a low speed. Then add in the lemon juice and mix through.

Step 10 - Frost the cake

NOTE - the cake must be 100% cooled before adding the frosting or it will melt into the cake...but if that's your kinda thing then go ahead!

Load the cake with the cream cheese frosting and spread it out evenly. Top off with chopped walnuts for decoration. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Ovens

Fan-forced or fan-assisted oven temperature must be decreased by 20°C/25F. Use an oven thermometer to determine the accuracy of your oven dial.

The temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. For convection, fan-forced, fan-assisted, or air-fryers, the temperature must be reduced by 20°C/25°F, or the gas mark by 1.

For baking, a general rule is to have the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

For best baking results invest in an oven thermometer, as the temperature dials on the oven may not be accurate. Place the thermometer in the middle of the center rack for the most accurate results. I hang my oven thermometer off the center of my oven rack.

Keep in mind that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted slightly for your specific oven.

Bakeware

Metal bakeware is superior when it comes to baking biscuits, cookies, brownies, muffins and quick bread, scones, cakes. These heat up and cool down faster than glassware. Glassware is heavier, heats up and cools down slower than metal and is more suited for bread puddings, pies, crisps, crumbles and cobblers.

Baking Flat Cakes

To ensure you get layers or a sheet cake as flat as possible, check the following:

• The oven temperature. An oven that is too hot will result in domed cakes. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the right temperature.
• Grease the sides of the cake tin. This allows the batter to rise up the sides without gripping the sides.
• Use baking strips! Use damp cake pan baking strips to keep the sides of the cake tin cooler during the baking. This allows the side to rise at a similar rate to the centre of the cake. Alternatively (the method I use) is to fold a piece of foil 4-to 5 times to create a strip (shiny side out) and wrap it around the outside of the tin. This is especially important for darker cake tins.
• Trimming the cakes is the last step in making flat layers. This can be done with a large serrated knife or wired cake leveller.

NOTE - the cake tins I used to bake this cake are rather dark, so I did wrap the tin in foil so that I would have a fairly even cake. I similarly wrap my rectangular cake tin for tray bakes as well to ensure a nice even bake.

Storage and Freezing

Carrot cakes are typically stored in the fridge for up to a week. This keeps the cream cheese frosting or icing from melting in warmer temperatures.

Carrot cake layers can be frozen unfrosted, simply allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and then foil.

If freezing an entire frosted or iced carrot cake, allow it to freeze solid before wrapping it in plastic wrap and tin foil. Individual portions can also be frozen in this manner, just slice the cake before freezing!

To thaw the cake, simply let it sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Remember to remove the foil and plastic wrap before thawing a frosted cake!

Carrot Cake Tray Bake FAQ