Carrot cake potjie recipe

Sitting under a kameeldoring tree, gazing at the vast African landscape, I can’t help but yearn for a slice of cake and a warm cup of tea. Unfortunately, finding a bakery in the middle of nowhere in Africa is not always an option. But fear not, because the carrot cake potjie is here to save the day and satisfy my sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Serves about 10

For the cake

• 1 cup sunflower oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups carrot (about 4 carrots, finely grated)
• 1 tin crushed pineapple (drained)
• 200g pecan nuts (chopped)

For the icing

• 1 tub plain cream cheese
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. In a large pot, mix together the sunflower oil, eggs, and caster sugar until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
3. Stir in the finely grated carrot, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecan nuts. Mix until everything is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
4. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a cake tin.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the icing by combining the plain cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
9. After the cake has cooled slightly, remove it from the tin and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese icing over the top and sides of the cake using a spatula or butter knife.
11. Optional: Garnish with additional chopped pecan nuts or grated carrot, if desired.
12. Serve and enjoy!
13. To make this delicious carrot cake, start by gathering all of the ingredients: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, carrots, pineapple, nuts, cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla.
14. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cinnamon. Give it a good stir to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed together. There’s no need to grease the potjie beforehand, as the batter contains enough oil to prevent sticking.
15. Add the grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped nuts to the dry mixture. Mix everything together until well combined.
16. Place the lid on the potjie and cook for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure you have some coals underneath the potjie and on top of the lid to ensure even cooking. You can check if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center – if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
17. While the cake is baking, you can prepare the cream cheese icing. In a separate bowl, use your clean hands or an electric beater to soften the cream cheese and remove any lumps. Once smooth, add the icing sugar and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until the icing is creamy and well combined.
18. Once the cake is done, remove it from the potjie and let it cool completely before applying the icing. Spread the cream cheese icing evenly over the top of the cake for a delicious finishing touch.
19. Now, you can serve and enjoy your homemade carrot cake!
20. After you’ve finished cooking, remove the potjie from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Once it’s cooled down a bit, gently remove the potjie lid.
21. Now, it’s time to take the cake out of the potjie. To do this, simply flip the potjie upside down over a cutting board or a large plate. The cake should slide out easily. But don’t worry if it doesn’t – just serve it right from the potjie!
22. From what I’ve seen, people everywhere are pretty particular about the amount of icing they prefer on their carrot cake. Some think there’s too much and scrape it off, while others think there’s too little and leave behind dry chunks of cake. But really, it’s unnecessary. We all have the freedom to choose how much sugar and milk we want in our tea. So why not apply the same principle to carrot cake? Just serve the icing on the side and let each person decide how much they want.
23. If you’re looking for more exciting and unique braai recipes, check out Jan Braai’s latest cookbook, The Democratic Republic of Braai. You can find it in both online and offline bookstores across South Africa, published by Bookstorm.