Carrot cake is a moist and flavorful cake that is often served as a dessert or snack. It is made with grated carrots, sugar, flour, eggs, oil, and spices, and is typically frosted with a cream cheese frosting. Carrot cake is a popular choice for birthday parties and other celebrations, and it can also be served as a breakfast or brunch dish. This article provides three different recipes for carrot cake: a classic carrot cake recipe, a gluten-free carrot cake recipe, and a vegan carrot cake recipe. Each recipe includes detailed instructions and a list of ingredients. The article also includes a section on troubleshooting common carrot cake problems, such as a cake that is too dry or too dense. With these recipes, you're sure to find the perfect carrot cake for your next occasion.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
INCREDIBLY MOIST AND EASY CARROT CAKE
This is the best carrot cake recipe I've ever used. We prefer to use a hand grater when preparing the carrots since it creates delicate carrot shreds that melt into the cake batter. Pre-shredded bags or shredding carrots using a food processor are also options, but the carrot shreds will be larger. This recipe is forgiving. You can make this with or without the nuts or raisins. We love the combination of granulated and brown sugar, but if you only have one of them, use it, and the cake will still be delicious. Frosting: Our creamy frosting recipe shared below is not a traditional cream cheese frosting. Thanks to whipped cream, it's creamier and has soft peaks (you can see it in our video). We love it, but if you prefer a more traditional frosting, see the tips section below the recipe. We have provided instructions for a classic cream cheese frosting that works nicely with this cake.
Provided by Adam and Joanne Gallagher
Categories Dessert
Time 1h5m
Yield Makes 1 (9-inch) double layer cake (16 thin slices) or 22 to 24 cupcakes
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and then grease the top. Or grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C).
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until very well blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each one.
- Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
- Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
- Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Cool cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the cake layers out onto cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper and cool completely. If you find that a cake layer is sticking to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time, until fluffy.
- Pour in the whipping cream. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the frosting is whipped and creamy. This frosting resembles the texture of whipped cream. Chill covered until ready to frost the cake.
- When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer, and place the second cake layer on top.
- Add the remaining frosting to the top of the carrot cake and use a butter knife or small spatula to swirl the frosting around. Leave the sides of the cake unfrosted. Finish with a handful of nuts on top.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 slice (1 of 16), Calories 535, Fat 33.4g, SaturatedFat 6.9g, Cholesterol 69.3mg, Sodium 315.9mg, Carbohydrate 56.4g, Fiber 2.4g, Sugar 40.5g, Protein 5.6g
MOIST CARROT CAKE
This cake was made and brought to me at work. It is the moistest carrot cake I have ever had. Decorate with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Provided by KORIBEAR
Categories Desserts Cakes Sheet Cake Recipes
Time 1h20m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts and flaked coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 568.5 calories, Carbohydrate 59.4 g, Cholesterol 62 mg, Fat 35.7 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 5.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 470.2 mg, Sugar 39.8 g
BEST CARROT CAKE EVER
A moist and flavorful recipe that makes a large quantity of cake. I have been hounded to make this cake time and time again.
Provided by Nan
Categories Desserts Cakes Spice Cake Recipes
Time 2h30m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 457.4 calories, Carbohydrate 66.3 g, Cholesterol 46.5 mg, Fat 20.2 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 5.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 315.2 mg, Sugar 42.8 g
CARROT CAKE
Beneath this towering yet unpretentious appearance lies multiple layers of moist, mildly spiced cake that are flecked with carrots and pecans and enveloped by a generous coating of cream cheese frosting.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water, and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, then finely chopped pecans.
- Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up, and let cool completely.
- Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes. Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
OLD-FASHIONED CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
A pleasingly moist cake, this treat is the one I requested that my mom make each year for my birthday. It's dotted with sweet carrots and a hint of cinnamon. The fluffy buttery frosting is scrumptious with chopped walnuts stirred in. One piece of this homemade carrot cake is never enough-better than all the other carrot cakes recipes I've tried!-Kim Orr, West Grove, Pennsylvania
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h5m
Yield 16 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting. , Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe twelve carrots on top of cake, so each slice will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot. , Store cake in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 531 calories, Fat 28g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 67mg cholesterol, Sodium 203mg sodium, Carbohydrate 68g carbohydrate (54g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 5g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: Fresh carrots, eggs, and flour will give your carrot cake the best flavor and texture.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing can make the cake tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the cake at the right temperature: A lower oven temperature will help the cake bake evenly without overbrowning.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it: This will help the frosting set properly.
- Use a cream cheese frosting: Cream cheese frosting is the classic topping for carrot cake. It's rich, tangy, and perfectly complements the sweet cake.
- Decorate the cake with chopped walnuts, carrots, or sprinkles: This will add a festive touch to your cake.
Conclusion:
Carrot cake is a delicious and versatile cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. With its moist texture, sweet flavor, and cream cheese frosting, it's sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. Whether you're a beginner baker or a seasoned pro, this recipe is sure to give you a carrot cake that you'll love. So what are you waiting for? Start baking today!
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