American · Dessert · Medium

Carrot Cake

Name: Carrot Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil; 4 large eggs; 3 cups finely grated carrots (about 5 medium); 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans; 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsalted butter, both softened; 3 cups powdered sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Warmly spiced, impossibly moist, and crowned with tangy cream cheese frosting, this is the cake that converts even the skeptics. Shredded carrots melt right into the crumb, leaving only sweetness and spice behind.

Prep 25 minsCook 40 minsServes 12

#American #Desserts

The whole recipe in 60 seconds

Carrot Cake, in 5 ideas

Grate the carrots yourself with a box grater: pre-shredded carrots are too dry and coarse to melt into the batter.
Do not overmix once the flour goes in; gentle folding keeps the crumb tender instead of tough.
Room-temperature cream cheese and butter are essential for a lump-free frosting.
The cake layers can be baked a day ahead, wrapped tight, and frosted the next day.
A pinch of ground cloves or ginger adds depth if you like a bolder spice blend.

What you need

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3 cups finely grated carrots (about 5 medium)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
8 ounces cream cheese and 1/2 cup unsalted butter, both softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

How to make it

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth, then fold in the dry ingredients just until combined.
Stir in the grated carrots and nuts. Divide the batter between the pans.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Frost the first layer, stack the second, and frost the top and sides.

Buy whole carrots in the 5-pound bag instead of small ones; they are much cheaper per pound and a food processor grating attachment shreds them in minutes.