Carrot Cake
The ultimate comfort food, this Carrot Cake is a perfect combination of sweet and spiced, topped with creamy frosting. It’s moist, flavorful, and easy to make, making it ideal for any occasion!
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Whisk
- Oven
- Peeler
- Grater
- Chef's Knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled grated carrots
- 8 ounces can crushed pineapple
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- Chopped pecans
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 9-inch cake pans by greasing them well. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, grease the parchment, and then flour the pans, tapping out any excess flour. This ensures that your cakes will come out easily after baking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. This dry mixture is vital for the cake’s rise and flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth. You should see no lumps of brown sugar.
- Gently add the dry mixture from the previous step into the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; you want to keep the batter light.
- Add the carrots, pineapple, pecans, raisins, and coconut to the batter. Carefully fold these in until evenly distributed. This is where the magic happens!
- Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cakes should be golden and spring back when lightly touched.
- Once done, let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. This step is crucial to prevent sogginess.
- For the creamy frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed and continue mixing for about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the pieces of cold cream cheese into the mixture, one at a time, mixing until fully smooth. This should take another 2 minutes. The result should be light, fluffy, and utterly delicious.
- Now, it’s time to assemble your Carrot Cake. Place one layer on a serving platter and generously spread 1 cup of the cream cheese frosting on top. Add the second layer and repeat, spreading another cup of frosting. Finally, place the last layer on top, but flip it so the bottom is facing up. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting, and garnish the edges with chopped pecans if desired. Your cake is ready to serve, or you can refrigerate it until you're ready to enjoy!
Notes
- Tip 1: Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container (or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Tip 2: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and placed into a freezer zip-top resealable bag, and frozen for up to 3 months.
- Tip 3: Feel free to omit the coconut, pecans, and/or raisins without needing to make adjustments to the batter.
- Tip 4: If using 8-inch round pans, adjust baking time to 27 to 35 minutes.
- Tip 5: This batter also works great for cupcakes. Just fill standard muffin cups two-thirds full and bake for 20 to 22 minutes.