This basic carrot cake recipe is certain to be a crowd pleaser! Three layers of completely spiced carrot cake are paired with cream cheese frosting for a dessert that’s as scrumptious as it’s stunning.
I do know that lots of people make carrot cake for Easter, however for me, it’s a year-round form of dessert.
The truth is, I typically ask for my husband to make J. Alexander’s carrot cake for my birthday cake! That’s how a lot I really like carrot cake.
I imply, can you actually beat a moist, flavorful cake topped with cream cheese frosting? There actually isn’t a fallacious season for it.
Whether or not you’re planning Easter dinner, a springtime brunch, or simply wish to take pleasure in cake on a random Thursday afternoon, this basic carrot cake recipe is one that you simply’ll wish to come again to repeatedly.
THE BEST LAYERED CARROT CAKE
There are such a lot of carrot cake variations on the market, from sheet muffins to cupcakes to bundt muffins and extra.
However generally you simply desire a slice of basic carrot cake: A layered cake lined with tangy cream cheese frosting.
That’s once I flip to this recipe. The cake itself has simply the correct amount of spice, tons of carrots, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, and plump raisins. Prime it with cream cheese frosting (with an non-compulsory coconut filling) and it’s perfection.
You’ll discover that this model doesn’t have any pineapple in it. Whereas I personally love pineapple in carrot cake, I do know not everybody enjoys pineapple and a few of us are allergic to it – so should you’re that individual, that is the recipe for you!
You may also omit the nuts and/or the coconut if it’s essential to resulting from allergic reactions as nicely.
However please don’t skip the raisins! I do know some individuals have combined emotions about raisins, however they are surely so good on this cake and add a lot taste and texture.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CLASSIC CARROT CAKE
Layered muffins like this one at all times take a smidge extra time to make just because it’s important to assemble them, however that doesn’t imply that they’re arduous to make!
Why use oil as an alternative of butter?
Carrot muffins virtually at all times name for vegetable oil (or one other neutral-tasting oil) as an alternative of butter. However why?
As a result of oil is liquid at room temperature, it helps hold the cake moist. It additionally contributes to that barely denser texture that we take pleasure in in carrot cake since you don’t get any of the aeration that comes from creaming butter and sugar collectively.
Truffles made with butter are inclined to dry out quicker, too, however the oil will assist your carrot cake keep moist for longer.
When you don’t like to make use of vegetable oil, avocado oil is an efficient neutral-tasting substitute.
Making the cake
Though most muffins bake at 350°F, this cake bakes for a bit longer at 325°F. You’ll want 3 9-inch cake pans – be certain that to butter and flour all of them.
Whisk collectively the dry substances: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In one other bowl, combine collectively the grated carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and the raisins. As a be aware, I choose to make use of unsweetened coconut within the cake batter, however you need to use sweetened should you like.
Utilizing a mixer, beat collectively the oil and the sugar, then add the eggs one after the other. Flip the mixer to low and add the flour, mixing till simply mixed. Then fold within the carrot combination.
Divide the batter between the ready pans and bake for about 40-50 minutes; I like to recommend rotating the pans simply previous the midway level.
As soon as the muffins are baked, allow them to cool within the pans for 10 minutes earlier than turning them out onto a wire rack to chill utterly.
Assembling the cake
I prefer to pair this carrot cake with my go-to cream cheese frosting. When you like coconut, divide the frosting in half and stir some coconut into one half of the frosting to make use of because the cake filling. (I like sweetened coconut for this.)
To assemble the cake, place one of many cake layers on a cake plate or a cardboard cake spherical.
TIP: To maintain the cake plate clear whereas frosting, tuck items of parchment paper beneath the sides of the cake to cowl the plate. When you’re carried out frosting the cake, take away the parchment and your cake plate might be frosting-free!
Unfold half of the coconut-filled frosting on high of the layer (or use about ¼ of the plain frosting if you wish to forego the coconut). Prime with one other layer of cake and repeat with the remainder of the filling or one other ¼ of the plain frosting.
Add the final layer of cake on high. Cowl the tops and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
From there, you may embellish the tops and/or sides of the cake with chopped nuts or toasted coconut should you’d like.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
There are a number of methods you may retailer each the elements of the cake and the absolutely assembled cake.
Storing carrot cake layers and frosting
As soon as the cake layers are absolutely cooled, you may wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and retailer them at room temperature in a single day earlier than frosting.
You may also wrap them in plastic after which a layer of foil and freeze them for as much as 2 months.
The cream cheese frosting could be frozen for as much as 3 months in an hermetic container. Thaw it within the fridge for twenty-four hours, let it come to room temperature after thawing, and whip it along with your mixer to revive the consistency earlier than frosting the cake.
Storing the assembled cake
As soon as the cake is assembled, you may retailer it, lined, within the fridge for as much as 3 days. I like to recommend bringing it to room temperature earlier than serving.
You may also place all the cake, uncovered, within the freezer for 1-2 hours. As soon as the cake and the frosting are each agency, wrap the cake nicely and freeze it for as much as 2 months.
Let the cake thaw, nonetheless wrapped, within the fridge in a single day.
MORE SPRINGTIME DESSERTS
In search of extra springtime desserts so as to add to your menu alongside this basic carrot cake? I’ve received you lined with these scrumptious choices:
This tremendous moist banana cake is topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting for a dessert or afternoon pick-me-up that’s unimaginable to beat. You’ll by no means imagine the key to this wonderful cake: the freezer!
Zucchini Cake is a picture-perfect bundt cake! This moist and flavorful cake is filled with pineapple, zucchini, coconut and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting for a cake that might be an absolute hit.
Hummingbird cupcakes are a basic Southern dessert. Stuffed with fruit and nuts, these party-ready cupcakes will make everybody hum with pleasure!
A shortbread crust is topped with a easy coconut cream filling, whipped topping, and toasted coconut in these easy and scrumptious coconut cream bars.
Picture Credit score:
www.stetted.com
Stuffed with cream cheese frosting, these carrot cake cookies are comfortable and evenly candy. They style identical to carrot cake!
Picture Credit score:
www.nutmegnanny.com
In search of a showstopper of a layer cake? Nicely, this strawberry coconut layer cake is simply that! Lovely, scrumptious, and excellent for any occasion.
Components
- 2 cups (246 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons floor cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon positive sea salt
- 3 cups (305 grams) grated carrots (see notes)
- 1 cup (108 grams) coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup (69 grams) shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
- ½ cup (80 grams) moist, plump darkish or golden raisins or dried cranberries
- 2 cups (394 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (236 ml) canola oil
- 4 giant eggs
For the Frosting
- 1 batch cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup (34 grams) shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened (non-compulsory)
For ending
- Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (non-compulsory)
Directions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter three 9×2-inch spherical cake pans, flour the insides, and faucet out the surplus. Put aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. In one other bowl, stir collectively the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins. Put aside.
- Working with a stand mixer, ideally fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a big bowl, beat the sugar and oil collectively on medium velocity till easy. Add the eggs one after the other, beating after every addition till easy. Scale back the velocity to low and add the flour combination, mixing solely till simply mixed. Fold within the carrot combination. Divide the batter evenly among the many baking pans.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from high to backside and entrance to again simply previous the halfway level, till a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the facilities comes out clear. Switch the pans to cooling racks and funky for about 10 minutes, then run a knife across the sides of the muffins. Take away the muffins from the pans; place again on the cooling racks, proper sides up, and funky utterly.
- The muffins could be wrapped hermetic and stored at room temperature in a single day or frozen for as much as 2 months.
For the Frosting
- Divide the cream cheese frosting in half. Stir ½ cup of coconut into one half of the frosting for filling the cake. (Omit this step if you don’t want coconut within the filling.)
To Assemble the Cake
- Place one layer of the cake right-side up on a cardboard cake spherical or a cake plate. Tuck strips of parchment or wax paper beneath the sides of the cake to guard the plate whereas frosting.
- If utilizing the coconut filling, high the layer with half of the coconut frosting (or generously cowl with about ¼ of the plain frosting). Use an offset spatula to easy the frosting all the best way to the sides of the layer.
- Place a second layer of cake the other way up on high of the primary layer. Prime with the remaining coconut frosting or one other portion of plain frosting, once more spreading to the sides of the layer.
- Place the ultimate layer right-side up on high of the primary two layers. Use the remainder of the frosting to cowl the highest and sides of the cake. If desired, embellish with toasted nuts or toasted coconut.
- Chill the cake for half-hour, simply to set the frosting earlier than serving.
Notes
3 cups of carrots comes out to about 8-9 carrots, relying on measurement. You’ll be able to grate them utilizing the shredding attachment in your meals processor or utilizing a field grater.
I personally choose to make use of unsweetened coconut within the cake batter and sweetened coconut within the cake filling.
This cake could be served as quickly because the frosting is about.
Retailer the cake lined within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Convey to room temperature earlier than serving.
To freeze the cake: Freeze uncovered. When the cake and frosting is agency, wrap hermetic and freeze for as much as 2 months. Defrost, nonetheless wrapped, in a single day within the fridge.
Cake barely tweaked from Dorie Greenspan
Really helpful Merchandise
As an Amazon Affiliate and member of different affiliate applications, I earn from qualifying purchases.
