Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake
User Reviews
5
Blue Ribbon Carrot Sheet Cake
Description
This carrot sheet cake combines all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt with wet ingredients like buttermilk, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple, and grated carrots to create a well-spiced, moist batter. The addition of shredded coconut and chopped pecans or walnuts adds texture and subtle sweetness. Once baked until a toothpick comes out clean, the cake gets a buttermilk glaze made by boiling sugar, buttermilk, butter, baking soda, and vanilla, which seeps into the warm cake, casting a glossy, slightly tangy layer.
The cake is finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting, combining softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, complementing the moist cake with tangy sweetness. This dessert offers a sweet, spiced flavor profile with a balance of moisture and texture from the nuts and coconut.
It serves well at celebrations or as an indulgent treat with coffee or tea. For best results, chilling the cake after glazing before frosting can help the frosting set properly without mixing into the glaze layer. Variations in spices or using different nuts or oils can adjust the flavor and texture subtly.
Ingredients
Carrot Sheet Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup buttermilk low-fat
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 egg large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces pineapple drained, crushed
- 2 cups carrot finely grated
- 1 cup coconut sweetened shredded
- 1 cup pecans optional, or walnuts, chopped
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the carrot cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. I use a nonstick baking spray with flour in it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together buttermilk, oil, and sugar until well-combined.
- Mix in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Add pineapple and carrots; stir until just incorporated.
- Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
- Add coconut and nuts, if using. Stir until just combined. Batter will be wet.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan, smoothing as necessary.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make the buttermilk glaze
- While the cake is baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze.
- In a saucepan, combine, sugar, buttermilk, butter, and baking soda. Use a large enough saucepan to allow mixture to bubble up as it cooks.
- Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. You should have 1/2 cup of buttermilk glaze.
- When the cake is finished baking, remove from oven.
- Immediately brush buttermilk glaze over hot cake.
- Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature.
To make the cream cheese frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Turn mixer up to high and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Drop spoonfuls of frosting over the cake.
- Carefully spread the spoonfuls together to cover the cake. Spreading in one direction will help to prevent the cake from coming up into the frosting.
- Store any leftover cake covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You may adjust the spices according to personal preference or use additional warm spices for more flavor.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with a homemade mix or regular buttermilk; low-fat options work too.
- Neutral oils or melted coconut oil can replace vegetable oil without major changes in texture.
- Do not squeeze the crushed pineapple dry; discard the juice but keep the fruit moist.
- If using unsalted butter, consider adding a pinch of salt to enhance flavor.
- Chill the cake after glazing before applying frosting to prevent mixing and achieve a clean finish.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 362kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 42g | 14% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 49mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 301mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 148mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 31g | 62% |
| Vitamin A | 2480IU | 50% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 45mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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