Honey-Carrot Pineapple Snack Cake with Walnut Crumb

Honey-Carrot Pineapple Snack Cake with Walnut Crumb 🍯🥕🍍 Soft carrot cake energy, but easier and more casual: a golden snack cake baked in one tin, brightened with pineapple, rounded with honey, and finished with a crisp walnut crumb. It is made for tea, lunchboxes, relaxed weekends, and "just one square" kitchen visits. Yield: 12 squares Time: 20 minutes prep, 28-34 minutes bake, plus cooling Ingredients For the cake: - 220 g plain flour - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt - 2 large eggs - 110 ml neutral oil - 120 g runny honey - 70 g soft light brown sugar - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 180 g finely grated carrot - 140 g crushed pineapple, well drained - 60 g chopped walnuts For the walnut crumb: - 55 g plain flour - 45 g chopped walnuts - 35 g soft light brown sugar - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon - Pinch of salt - 45 g cold unsalted butter, diced Optional honey yogurt drizzle: - 60 g cream cheese - 45 g thick Greek yogurt - 1 tablespoon honey - 1 teaspoon lemon juice Method 1. Heat the oven to 180C / 350F. Line a 20 cm square tin with parchment, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the cake out later. 2. Make the walnut crumb. In a small bowl, rub together the flour, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cold butter until you have uneven clumps. Chill this while you mix the cake. The cold butter helps the topping bake crisp instead of melting flat. 3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. This keeps the spices and raising agents evenly spread. 4. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until glossy and smooth. Fold in the grated carrot, drained pineapple and chopped walnuts. 5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl and fold gently until no floury streaks remain. Stop there - overmixing makes the cake heavier. The batter should be thick, moist and spoonable. 6. Spread the batter into the lined tin and level the top. Scatter the chilled walnut crumb loosely over the surface, keeping a few bigger clumps for crunch. 7. Bake for 28-34 minutes, until the top is golden, the center springs back lightly, and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. If the crumb is browning too quickly, loosely tent the tin for the last few minutes. 8. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack. Stir the cream cheese, yogurt, honey and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle lightly over the cooled cake if using. Slice into 12 squares. Serving and storage Serve with coffee or tea, add extra pineapple on the side for brightness, or pack the squares as a soft snack cake. Keep covered for 2 days at room temperature without the drizzle, or refrigerate for up to 4 days once drizzled. The plain cake squares freeze well for up to 2 months - thaw, then refresh briefly at room temperature. 🍰 Save this one for a simple bake that feels sunny, cozy and useful. Tasteloom.club