Description
Moist and spiced carrot cake delights dessert enthusiasts with its perfect balance of sweetness and warmth. Cream cheese frosting crowns this classic treat, promising a memorable slice of pure comfort that will satisfy your deepest bakery cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups (720 ml) grated carrots
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) crushed pineapple
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 0.5 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts
- 0.5 cup (80 g) raisins
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1.5 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese
- 0.5 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 tbsps heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare cake pans with grease, flour, or parchment paper lining.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into a large mixing bowl, ensuring uniform spice distribution.
- Wet Mixture Mastery: Whisk granulated and brown sugars with oil until smooth, then integrate eggs one at a time, finishing with vanilla extract for a harmonious blend.
- Batter Integration: Delicately fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using gentle strokes, avoiding overmixing to maintain a tender cake consistency.
- Texture Enhancement: Carefully incorporate grated carrots, crushed pineapple, walnuts, and raisins, ensuring even distribution throughout the batter.
- Pan Filling and Baking: Evenly distribute batter into prepared pans, smoothing the surface, then bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with minimal crumbs.
- Cooling and Finishing: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling before frosting or serving.
Notes
- Manage Moisture Carefully: Ensure grated carrots are not too wet by gently squeezing out excess liquid, preventing a soggy cake texture and maintaining optimal consistency.
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry and wet ingredients minimally to keep the cake tender, stopping exactly when ingredients are just combined to avoid developing tough gluten networks.
- Temperature Control Matters: Let eggs and other refrigerated ingredients reach room temperature before mixing, which helps create a smoother, more evenly integrated batter with better rising potential.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap wheat flour with gluten-free alternatives like almond or coconut flour, use plant-based oil instead of traditional oil, and replace eggs with applesauce or flax eggs for vegan adaptations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 496
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg