Description
Delight in these moist and fluffy Carrot Cake Scones, bursting with warm spices, grated carrot, and zesty orange. Topped with a creamy icing and adorned with cute carrot decorations, these scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scones
- 400 g self-raising white flour (self rising flour), plus some for dusting
- 1 tsp light soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 100 g salted butter, cold and cubed
- 75 g sultanas
- 150 g carrot, coarsely grated
- 1 unwaxed orange, zested
- 200 ml whole milk, plus a little to brush the tops
Topping
- 100 g cream cheese
- 150 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 8 carrot-shaped cake decorations (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F), or 180°C (355°F) if using a fan oven. Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour, mixed spice, and baking powder to ensure even distribution of flavors and rising agents.
- Incorporate the butter: Add the cold, cubed salted butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with an even crumb texture.
- Add liquid and form dough: Gradually pour in the whole milk while mixing with a flat knife. This encourages the dough to start clumping together gently without overworking it.
- Fold in flavorings: Stir in the sultanas, coarsely grated carrot, and orange zest to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape the dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, gathering it carefully to form a disc approximately 18cm wide. Using a knife or cake scraper, cut the disc into 8 equal wedges.
- Arrange scones on baking sheet: Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow heat circulation and even cooking.
- Brush and bake: Brush the tops of the scones lightly with a little milk. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes until the scones have puffed up and turned a lovely golden brown.
- Prepare the topping: While the scones bake, whisk together the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and thick to create the icing.
- Finish and decorate: Once the scones have cooled slightly, spoon the cream cheese icing evenly over each scone. Optionally, place one carrot-shaped cake decoration on top of each for a charming finish.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is cold to create a crumbly texture resulting in fluffy scones.
- Handle the dough lightly and avoid overmixing for tender scones.
- If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can substitute with plain flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and cream cheese with suitable plant-based alternatives.
- Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
