The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
User Reviews
5
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Description
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe begins by creaming oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs, producing a light, fluffy batter. Dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon are added, then folded with finely grated carrots and optional chopped pecans or raisins for texture and moisture. The batter is divided into two or three prepared cake pans and baked until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, ensuring a moist but fully cooked interior. After cooling, the layers may be chilled briefly to aid in frosting. The cream cheese frosting combines softened butter and cream cheese whipped with powdered sugar and vanilla for a sweet, tangy topping. The finished cake features a moist crumb with warm spice and nut accents, balanced by the smooth frosting.
Ingredients
- 2 cups canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 lbs. carrot peeled and finely grated
- 3/4 cup pecans optional, chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- (1) ounce pkg. cream cheese (softened)
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or scraped vanilla bean)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in grated carrots and pecans (if using). If you would like to add raisins, add 3/4 cup.
- Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Use two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans. It can also make three 9-inch cake layers, although the layers will be thinner. Divide cake batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake 9-inch cake layers for 28-34 minutes. Bake three 8-inch cake layers for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To help with frosting the cake, place the cake layers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Whip softened butter and cream cheese for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 1-2 minutes longer. Frost the cake layers with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- This recipe is adapted from the Duff Bakes Cookbook.
- For decorating, consider preparing 1.5 times the cream cheese frosting recipe to ensure sufficient coverage.
- Using finely grated carrots helps distribute moisture evenly throughout the cake.
- Allow cake layers to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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