Recipe for the The Best Carrot Cake – Ever – It’s dense and moist, and so rich and flavorful that you don’t need much more than a sliver. It’s wonderful in the morning with a cup of coffee, too.
The Best Carrot Cake – Ever
The Best Carrot Cake – Ever – It’s dense and moist, and so rich and flavorful that you don’t need much more than a sliver. It’s wonderful in the morning with a cup of coffee, too.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup raw cane sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 3 cups finely grated carrot
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained well
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 pound confectioners’ sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch pans or two 10-inch pans with oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, beat the eggs and sugars until fluffy. Add the oil and applesauce and mix well, until thoroughly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Stir in the carrot, coconut, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts, and mix well.
- Divide the batter evenly among the pans, and bake 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool slightly, then invert onto a rack to finish cooling completely.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the confectioners’ sugar, a cupful or so at a time, mixing well after each addition. If the frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin it out. It should be creamy and spreadable, but not runny.
To frost:
- Place the bottom layer on a cake plate or serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread a layer of icing on top, the add the second cake layer. Repeat if you’re adding a third. Frost the top, and then the sides.
- Decorate with curls of carrot, a sprinkling of coconut, and a few walnut halves.
Recipe and Photo: Beyond Toast / CC BY
