Carrot cake is a classic treat that many love to enjoy all year round, especially with a cup of tea on the side after your supper, but it doesn’t always have to be baked in an oven. By ditching what is considered traditional baking and using an air fryer instead, your homemade carrot cake will be more "yummy" and "flavourful" than ever before.

Thanks to food experts at Good Food, bakers can try out this carrot and pecan cake that's topped with a moreish soft cheese icing. The best part? This method delivers a cake so moist and delicious that homecooks who have tried this recipe have boasted that "no icing" is actually "needed" (you can also discover Jamie Oliver’s cheese and chive scones here for more air fryer ideas).

This air fryer recipe serves eight people and takes 25-45 minutes to bake. Below we have detailed how to make it, courtesy of Good Food:

Ingredients 

In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the oil, vanilla, and eggs, then stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in most of the chopped pecans, grated carrots, and raisins, then pour the batter into the prepared tin.

Bake in the air fryer for 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the tin used, checking after 15 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.

Whilst this is baking, begin making the icing by beating the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in half of the soft cheese, followed by the remaining half, then chill the mixture in the fridge.

Check if the cake is done by inserting a skewer into the centre; it should come out clean. Once baked, let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Finally, spread the chilled icing over the cake. The chef advises grating a little extra nutmeg on top and decorating with the remaining pecans.

This recipe boasts a respectable four-star rating from Homecooks, but some said they needed to cook it for longer. One person who attempted this method shared: "I used only 150 g of sugar, and did half wholemeal flour and half white.

"Like other comments, it was soft in the middle, but a jiggle with temperature and length of cooking should fix it. Still yummy, no icing needed!"

Another shared: "I made this cake tonight, and the same thing happened; the bottom was soggy. I cooked it for another 20 minutes, but I would recommend a higher temperature for a bit longer. The recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t take long to put together."