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Carrot Cake

This homemade carrot cake is my second recipe that belongs to “why should vegetables be in cakes?” The first one is the zucchini cake. Carrot cake recipes are nothing new, and carrot cakes are almost everywhere. However, making them at home is a bit of a challenge. We know it is not a piece of cake! First, the taste of what you get from your favorite restaurants is not easy to capture. Second, this cake is kind of sensitive to make as it either becomes too wet or too dry. Very much like chocolate cakes! But, this will become one of your favorite recipes after you have successfully done it, and I am sure you will get it on the first try.

What is then the secret in baking delicious, pretty perfect carrot cake?

How to make the perfect carrot cake

We are not going to just make carrot cake here, we will make it perfect. Not only that, we are going to do it all from scratch! This post will let you know how. I had experimented with making carrot cakes numerous times where I learned from goofing (numerous times as well), and which taught me perfection in the process.

Here are a few important points to remember in perfecting carrot cake:

Do not rush. As in many things, haste makes waste. This is one activity that requires a cool presence of mind. If you are in a hurry, like a few hours before a potluck lunch or dinner, you can skip this recipe and make it another day. Its flavor is enhanced when done a day ahead as this gets better in time. My hubby wants his carrot cake in the fridge for a couple of days and then he enjoys it with a cup of tea or coffee.
Use parchment paper or wax paper to line the pan. The texture of the carrot cake comes out perfect after the parchment or wax paper is taken out of it. You will have to grease the baking pan as you would when baking before lining it with pre-traced paper, then grease the paper again before pouring the batter mixture.
Grate fresh carrots coarsely. I have tried the fine grater for this recipe and the cake came out too wet. The coarsely-grated carrots guarantee two things: moist but not wet, and the color of the grated carrots is visible on the baked cake -the cake becomes more stimulating. Need I say “use fresh carrots than readily-available carrots from the grocery shops?”
Use butter or shortening instead of oil in the recipe. The fats in the butter or shortening add softness to the cake, and believe it or not, it does not make the cake too greasy.

Carrot cake ingredients

Freshly grated carrots – manually grate them using the coarse option.

All-purpose flour
Unsalted butter or shortening
Baking soda and baking powder help soften the ingredients and blend them together.
Cinnamon powder, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt. If you were to remove one from this lineup, I suggest vanilla extract. Nutmeg is kind of a must as it gives the carrot cake the cake that it is supposed to be.
White granulated sugar and brown sugar. Three-fourths cup of each of these sugars would be best. However, you can experiment with your preference.
Eggs. You would need 4 eggs in this recipe. Eggs should be at room temperature.
Pecans or walnuts
Raisins. This one seems to be a carrot cake must-have, but not for me. So, I’d say that this is optional.
Pitted dates. You may want to delete this from the recipe but you would have to use two cups of sugar instead.

Carrot Cake Frosting

My hubby and kids are happy with the carrot cake itself, without the frosting. You might prefer it otherwise and I don’t blame you. Who would not love that creamy cream cheese frosting? We have the recipe for the frosting here as well, and I guarantee you that it is just as easy as the cake.

Ingredients for Frosting:

- Powdered sugar
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract

How to store leftovers

Leftovers are heavenly. They can be stored covered in the fridge for close to a week. It becomes better longer. Serve at room temperature or put in the microwave for no more than a minute before serving.

Cooking/Baking tips

Cool cakes completely before turning them out of the pans, then remove the lined paper carefully.
Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the frosted cake to create a wonderful tease in the taste buds.
Serve with ice cream, and discover the glory!

Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Dates

Author: Magida
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Desserts
Method: Baking

Print Recipe

Description

Two-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting – both prepared from scratch.

Ingredients

Scale

for the cake
3/4 cup each of white sugar and brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter or shortening
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups peeled and coarsely-grated carrots (between 3–4 carrots depending on the size)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates, cut into quarters
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Grease two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line pans with parchment or waxed paper. Lightly grease paper.
Beat sugar and butter or shortening until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, about 45 seconds each time.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Sift dry ingredients.
Stir in carrots with wet ingredients alternatively with dry ingredients.
Fold in chopped pecans/walnuts, pitted dates, and raisins, if using.
Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time sometimes varies.
Cool pans on racks for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes and cool completely.
Cut the dome-shaped top of the cakes off to level them. Those fragments are for the baker to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.
For frosting:
Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
Spread 1/3 of the frosting on one cake layer. Put the layer of cake on top, then spread it with the other 1/3 frosting. Using a spatula, spread the last 1/3 frosting on the side of the cake layers. Cover and keep in the refrigerator.
Serve cold or at room temperature. Did I say you can microwave it for about 45 seconds if you prefer it heated a bit? Hmm, I do that if the cake is not frosted.

Keywords: carrot cake recipe, carrot cake, carrot cake with walnuts and dates