Carrot Cake Recipe
User Reviews
5
Carrot Cake Recipe
Description
The Carrot Cake Recipe brings together a mixture of flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a wet blend of oil, white and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Freshly grated carrots add moisture and texture, while chopped toasted walnuts provide crunch and nuttiness. The batter is divided evenly between prepared cake pans and baked until the centers set for about 30 minutes. After cooling, the layers are trimmed and stacked with cream cheese frosting, which adds richness and a slight tang to balance the sweetness.
The flavor profile is centered on the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg with a moist cake texture from the oil and carrots. Toasted walnuts enhance the complexity and add texture. This layered cake is appropriate for dessert occasions and can be made ahead of time. The recipe notes emphasize avoiding excess mix-ins that may dry the cake, using fresh grated carrots for moisture, and provide options for storing and freezing the cake for convenience.
Additionally, this batter can be adapted to make cupcakes with slight baking time adjustments, extending its versatility.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 6 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups carrot peeled and shredded
- cream cheese frosting recipe, quantity x 2
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add the walnuts to a large frying pan over medium-low heat and cook until browned, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the walnuts and finely chop. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until completely combined and smooth.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth using a whisk.
- Fold the shredded carrots and 1 cup of walnuts into the batter until combined.
- Transfer the batter evenly between the 3 prepared 9” cake pans with non-stick spray and parchment paper rounds and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until firm in the center.
- Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the pan before removing from the pan and completely cooling on a rack.
- Make the cream cheese frosting and set aside until the cake has cooled.
- Once the layers are cool and top cut flat, stack them with about 3/4 cup of frosting between each. Don’t forget the sides.
- Optionally add on the remaining chopped walnuts around the outside of the cake and on top.
Icing Carrots Option
- Reserve about 2/3 cup of the cream cheese frosting and evenly divide it into two separate bowls. If you are short on cream cheese frosting then simply increase the cream cheese frosting recipe by 25%
- Add orange food coloring to one bowl and green to the other and individually stir until mixed in.
- Transfer each icing to a piping bag with a fine piping tip and make orange carrots and green stems on the top of the cake.
Notes
- Avoid excess nuts or raisins to prevent drying the cake.
- Use freshly grated carrots for better moisture and texture.
- Line cake pans with parchment for easy release and moist cakes.
- If frosting is too soft, chill briefly to ease spreading.
- This batter can also make about 18 cupcakes with adjusted baking time.
- Store the finished cake at room temperature up to 4 days, refrigerated up to 6 days, or freeze un-iced layers up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen cake layers in the refrigerator before icing and serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 761 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 761kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 74g | 25% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 49g | 75% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 18g | 106% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 26g | 130% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 82mg | 27% |
| Sodium | 441mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 372mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 46g | 92% |
| Vitamin A | 7251IU | 145% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 101mg | 10% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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