This recipe for carrot ginger tea cake that is so easy to make it’ll become your go to recipe again and again.

The back story

Here I was waiting at the dentist’s office for my kids to get done with their appointment and as is typical of me I picked up a few magazines in the waiting room to occupy my time. Funny thing about these magazines, even though I subscribe to a few of the same magazines at home, somehow when I read them at the doctor’s office, the articles seem more interesting – go figure 🤔.  

Sunset Magazine is one of those magazines that I do subscribe to and get a nice crisp issue mailed to me at home. I know I went through the issue when I received it, and I know I must have seen this carrot cake recipe, but not until I saw it at the doctor’s office did it look enticing enough for me to want to make it.  I came home and promptly looked for that issue and found the recipe.

About the recipe

When you see a picture like this how could one resist?  I made the cake right away with a couple of adjustments. I couldn’t find carrot juice in the small quantity that this recipe required – 1/4 cup, so I substituted it with orange juice instead. I also added vanilla because I love vanilla in anything sweet! And added an extra bit of fresh ginger because well I like that too. This cake is so good that it doesn’t even need the lime glaze! Here is the recipe for a deliciously moist gingery carrot cake.

Carrot Ginger Tea Cake
from Sunset Magazine Western Edition
with a few modifications

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup melted butter, plus about 1 tsp softened butter for pan
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger.
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4-cup carrot juice. You can also use carrot/orange juice or orange juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (from about 3 medium carrots)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8-inch square pan, line bottom with parchment paper and butter it. Flour inside of pan, tapping excess out. To get that perfect spongey yet moist cake it is important to use the right size cake pan as specified in the recipe.

• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground ginger.

• In a large bowl whisk together granulated sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, canola oil, carrot juice or orange juice, eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, and fresh ginger.

• Combine the liquid mixture with the flour mixture. Add grated carrots and mix-in.

• Pour the cake batter in the buttered pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Once cake is done run a paring knife around the edges then turn out the cake onto a plate.  Dust with powdered sugar.

• Serve cake with a cup of tea or coffee for a perfect afternoon teatime snack. 🍰☕️