Carrot cake doesn't always have to be an elaborate affair with multiple layers of rich cake and cream cheese frosting. It can be equally delicious in the form of a simple tea cake, drizzled with a sweet and spicy rum sugar glaze.

As a fan of carrot cake, I can't help but crave its moist and spicy goodness during the springtime. However, as much as I love indulging in a fully decked-out three-layer cake with creamy cream cheese frosting, I don't always have the time or energy to commit to such a project. That's where my Spiced Carrot Tea Cake comes in. This practical and sensible cake boasts all the qualities I adore in a classic carrot cake, including farm-fresh carrots and a generous amount of rum-soaked fruit. The secret to its incredible depth of flavor lies in using the fruit-laced rum both in the cake batter and in the glaze, which gives it an irresistible spiciness that is simply addictive. Whether you're a fan of traditional layer cakes or looking for a simpler yet equally satisfying option, this Spiced Carrot Tea Cake is a must-try dessert.

Spiced Carrot Tea Cake 

Fruit Soak

½ cup dried diced pineapple

½ cup raisins

½ cup spiced rum

Batter

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 

½ cup light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp kosher salt

2 tsp baking powder

⅓ cup of vegetable oil 

1 large egg

2 tsp reserved rum

⅓-½ cup of buttermilk 

1 cup carrots, peeled and grated

¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Rum Sugar Glaze

3 TBSP powdered sugar

1 TBSP reserved rum

Pinch of kosher salt

In a jar, mix together the pineapple, raisins and rum. Cover and let the fruit sit overnight to rehydrate. The next day, strain the fruit away from the rest of the rum. Put the fruit laced rum aside for the cake and glaze.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5” loaf tin. 

For the batter; whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.

In a one cup wet measure, add the oil and egg. Fill the rest of the measuring cup with the buttermilk until the total amount of wet ingredients measures out to be one cup, add 2 tsp of the reserved rum and combine. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the flour is almost all incorporated, add your grated carrots, rum soaked fruit and walnuts if using. Gently fold to mix the inclusions and the remaining flour. You do not want to overmix the batter, the batter should have some lumps but no evidence of the dry ingredients. 

Fill up your greased loaf tin with your batter and smoothing out the top so the batter is evenly distributed. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown. Test the cake with a cake tester or toothpick to check it’s doneness. The tester should come out clean when the tea cake is fully baked. 

Let the cake cool in the tin for 8 minutes before running a butter knife along the sides of the cake to release. Release the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely before adding the sugar glaze. 

Rum Sugar Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, rum and a pinch of kosher salt. Adjust the consistency to your preference. You can  either add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more rum for a thinner one. 

Drizzle over cake when it is completely cooled. Slice and enjoy with a hot cup of tea or coffee.