My comfortable and fluffy Carrot Cake, made with selfmade cream cheese frosting, all the time steals the present! I’m an enormous fan of this recipe, and I really like how one can combine it as much as make it your individual. I made this a sheet pan cake to maintain this recipe simple and approachable. I additionally stored issues pretty easy, with raisins blended within the batter and some chopped pecans on high. It’s scrumptious and completely good for particular events or any time you’re craving a easy carrot cake. Like possibly this weekend? 😉
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Straightforward Carrot Cake Recipe
This recipe is rather like my carrot muffins recipe, besides I scaled it as much as bake in a 9×13” baking dish and smothered it within the BEST carrot cake frosting made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a contact of vanilla. I all the time use freshly grated carrots for the most effective texture and taste, and I promise it’s price the additional couple of minutes. Every part else is simply tremendous easy staples you most likely have already got available! This cake is my solely alternative for a last-minute dessert for Easter, birthdays, or, actually, anytime I desire a flippantly spiced, moist carrot cake (which is commonly!!).
Carrot Cake Recipe
This Carrot Cake recipe is comfortable, moist, and topped with the most effective cream cheese frosting EVER. Made with easy pantry staples and freshly grated carrots!
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Cake
- 3 cups finely grated carrots (4-5 giant carrots) ($1.00)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.36)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder ($0.06)
- ½ tsp baking soda ($0.01)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 ½ tsp floor cinnamon ($0.15)
- ¼ tsp floor nutmeg ($0.04)
- ½ tsp floor ginger ($0.05)
- 4 giant eggs, flippantly crushed ($1.48)
- 1 cup darkish brown sugar ($0.48)
- 1 cup granulated sugar ($0.96)
- ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce* ($0.40)
- ¾ cup cooking oil* ($0.48)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract ($1.30)
- ¾ cups golden raisins, elective** ($1.49)
Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened ($2.00)
- 6 Tbsp salted butter, softened ($0.74)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.65)
- 3 cups powdered sugar ($1.50)
- ½ cup chopped pecans, to garnish ($0.75)
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, peel, and grate the carrots utilizing the small/wonderful holes on a field grater. Set the grated carrots to the facet.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the dry elements (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, floor nutmeg, and floor ginger) till properly mixed.
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In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the moist elements (eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla extract) till properly mixed.
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Add the moist elements to the identical bowl because the dry elements. Stir collectively till simply mixed. Watch out to not overmix.
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Add the grated carrots and raisins to the bowl and fold them into the batter till simply mixed.
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Pour the batter right into a greased or parchment-lined 9×13” baking dish*** and bake within the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear.
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Take away the cake from the oven and permit it to chill utterly at room temperature earlier than frosting.
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To make the frosting, mix the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar in a big bowl and blend utilizing a handheld mixer till clean. Then, proceed so as to add the remainder of the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Mix collectively till creamy and clean.
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As soon as the cake has cooled, unfold the cream cheese icing on high, then sprinkle the chopped pecans on high. Slice into 15 slices or your required quantity of servings, and revel in!
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9×13 Baking Dish
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Handheld Mixer
**I really like including golden raisins to my batter for just a little added sweetness and texture. Be at liberty to go away them out.
***I selected to line my baking dish with parchment paper simply to make it simpler to take away the cake utterly after it was achieved. However this step can be elective.
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 5gFats: 25gSodium: 276mgFiber: 2g
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methods to make Carrot Cake step-by-step pictures
Collect your entire elements.
Grate the carrots: Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you happen to haven’t already, wash, peel, and grate 4-5 giant carrots utilizing a field grater. I exploit the small/wonderful holes on my field grater. You want 3 cups of finely grated carrots for this recipe. Set the grated carrots to at least one facet.
Whisk collectively the dry elements: Add 2 cups flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp floor cinnamon, ¼ tsp floor nutmeg, and ½ tsp floor ginger to a big mixing bowl. Combine till properly mixed.
Whisk collectively the moist elements: Add 4 giant eggs, 1 cup darkish brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅔ cup apple sauce, ¾ cup cooking oil, and a pair of tsp vanilla extract to a separate mixing bowl. Whisk till properly mixed.
Make the batter: Pour the moist elements into the dry elements and stir till simply mixed. Be very cautious to not overmix at this level.
To the cake batter, add the grated carrots and ¾ cup golden raisins (if utilizing) and fold them in fastidiously till simply mixed.
Bake: Both grease a 9×13” baking dish with butter or line it with parchment paper, as I did right here. Pour the batter into the ready baking dish. Bake in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear (with no moist batter).
Let the cake cool utterly at room temperature earlier than you add the cream cheese frosting.
Make the frosting: Add 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 6 Tbsp softened butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a big bowl.
Use a handheld mixer to combine the frosting elements collectively. Now, proceed so as to add the remainder of the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Maintain mixing with the mixer after every addition. Mix till all of the powdered sugar is added and the frosting is creamy and clean.
When your cake is cooled (and solely when it’s cooled!), unfold the selfmade cream cheese frosting on high.
Now, sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans over high. Slice your sheet pan carrot cake into 15 slices (or as many slices as you need), and serve!
- Shred your individual carrots. Don’t be tempted by these pre-shredded carrots on the retailer. They’re a lot too thick for this recipe. I extremely suggest shredding your individual utilizing the fine-holed facet of a field grater.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing could cause the cake to grow to be too dense as an alternative of sunshine and fluffy. Combine the dry and moist elements collectively till they’re simply barely mixed and there aren’t any traces of dry flour left within the bowl.
- Let the cake cool earlier than frosting. How lengthy this may take will completely rely upon the temperature of your kitchen. If you happen to add the cream cheese frosting whereas the cake remains to be scorching, it’ll soften and make an enormous mess (and that’s not what I would like for you!) Let it cool at room temperature after which frost when cooled.
- Both grease or line your baking sheet. I personally line my baking dish with parchment paper, however you may as well grease it WELL with butter.
- Select your mix-ins. I really like golden raisins blended into the batter of my selfmade carrot cake. They’re like little bites of pleasure to me. I additionally sprinkle chopped pecans over the frosting, however you possibly can both depart these out or swap them for chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, or common darkish raisins.
Can I Make this A Layer Cake?
I’ve solely ever used a baking dish for this carrot cake recipe, as I really like the convenience and comfort of a sheet pan cake! However I don’t see why you couldn’t flip this recipe right into a layer cake in case you needed to. This recipe makes sufficient batter to fill a 9×13” baking dish, which is roughly equal to 2 9” spherical cake pans. I’d divide the batter evenly, bake, and ensure the layers are utterly cool earlier than frosting.
Your muffins will certainly prepare dinner faster in a spherical cake pan, so I’d verify them at across the 30-minute mark. If a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear, they’re achieved.
The best way to Retailer
Maintain any leftover slices in an hermetic container (or wrapped in plastic wrap) within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Allow them to sit out at room temperature for about quarter-hour earlier than serving to let the frosting soften a bit. I truly actually like my carrot cake most after it’s had just a little time to relaxation. The flavors deepen, and the frosting soaks into the cake only a bit, making it additional moist and dreamy. You may as well freeze the unfrosted cake for as much as 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature earlier than frosting.
