Carrot Cake

Easter this year will be quite different,  normally we would head to my parent’s place for the holiday, but seeing as everyone is still quarantined/self-isolated we will be staying safe at home.

That being said I wanted to make a carrot cake to celebrate the occasion. I love a good carrot cake, but it can’t have a lot of extras in it, so no raisins, coconut, or pineapple. I like plain old carrot cake.

I have this recipe that I’m honestly not sure where it came from, it might have been friends or I might have found it a long time ago on the internet somewhere, so if this belongs to someone please let me know.

I also am terrible at decorating cakes, like truly terrible. I like to bake cakes, and eat them but decorating is not my strong suit and I embraced it and am totally fine with that. Actually, that’s a lie I need to take some cake decorating classes it stresses me out how terrible I am.

Anyways here are some tips for making a great carrot cake:

• Wash and peel carrots. I find if you don’t peel the carrots they taste a little bitter, so I always wash and peel the carrots.
• When grating the carrots, you can use a box grater I prefer to use the food processor, I find that it’s faster and easier and your hands don’t get stained orange like they do when you use the box grater.
• When you measure the carrots, don’t pack them down in the measuring cups, put them in loosely.
• Grease and flour the pans, if you’re not sure if it’s enough use a little more. There is nothing sadder than baking the cake and half of it staying in the pan. We have all been there, and nothing irritates me more than flipping the pan over and having half a cake in my hand or on the counter.
• For your eggs, bring them to room temperature. They incorporate into the cake better than cold eggs.
• When your cake is baking, start to check it at the 30-minute mark and then every 3-5 minutes after that. I find with carrot cake there is a very fine line between done and over-baked.
• I make the cake one day, then wrap it in cling wrap and store them in the fridge overnight and ice it the following day.

INGREDIENTS

CARROT CAKE

5 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 eggs (room temperature)

2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup Greek yogurt

3 cups brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups grated carrots (about 8-10 carrots depending on the size)

4 cups chopped pecans (optional)

CREAM CHEESE ICING

1/2 cup butter softened

1 box (8 ounces) cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8″ round cake pans thoroughly.

Grate your carrots, either using a box grater or a food processor.

Chop your pecans, I put mine in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

Whisk together eggs, oil, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until incorporated. 

Add the carrots and 3/4 cup chopped pecans just until mixed.

Divide the batter evenly between pans. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the centre and it comes out clean.

Cool pans on cooling racks for 30 minutes prior to inverting.  Cool completely before icing.

In a stand mixer on medium using a paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese until smooth, creamy and lump-free.

Add vanilla extract while continuing to beat; scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl.

Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while beating; scraping down the beater and bowl a couple more times.

Place one of the cooled baked cake layers on a cake stand. I put a little bit of icing down so the cake doesn’t move when I’m trying to ice it. I also like to trim the sides of my cake but that is not necessary.

Use about 1/2 cup of icing on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread about 1 cup on the top and the sides. This is the crumb coat and it does not look pretty, but that’s alright we will be covering it up.

Once to crumb coat is on, place the cake in the fridge for the icing to stiffen up and keep the crumbs in the crumb coat. I usually leave mine in the fridge for about an hour.

When you are happy with how the icing looks, take handfuls of the crushed pecans and gently press them on the sides of the cake. I do this over a plate so the pecan pieces that don’t stick to the cake don’t go everywhere. Continue to do this until all sides are covered and most of the pecan pieces are all used up.

Once you think the icing is stiff enough take it out and apply another coating of icing. I only worry about what the top looks like as that will be the only part you will see.

This carrot cake is a bit of a process, but it is totally worth all the effort!

From my family to yours, I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Easter!

Print Pin

Carrot Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword autumn, cake, carrot, carrot cake, dessert, fall

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 5 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 eggs room temperature
• 2 cup oil
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups shredded carrots
• 4 cup chopped pecans optional

Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 8 oz box cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups icing sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8″ round cake pan thoroughly.
• Grate your carrots, either using a box grater or a food processor.
• Chop your pecans, I put mine in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
• Beat together eggs, oil, yogurt, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until combined
• Add the carrots and chopped pecans just until mixed.
• Divide the batter evenly between pans. 
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the center and it comes out clean.
• Cool pans on cooling racks for 30 minutes prior to inverting.  Cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

• In a stand mixer on medium using a paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese until smooth, creamy, and lump-free.
• Add vanilla extract while continuing to beat; scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl.
• Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while beating; scraping down the beater and bowl a couple more times.

Assembling Cake

• Place one of the cooled baked cake layers on a cake stand. I put a little bit of icing down so the cake doesn’t move when I’m trying to ice it.
• Use about 1/2 cup of icing on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread about 1/2 cup on the top and smooth out evenly.