The Only Carrot Cake Recipe You’ll Need This Fall
I can’t believe it is already officially Fall. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks how is it already the end of September? There are only 13 more weeks until Christmas and 14 more weeks until 2021.
With the weather turning colder and the leaves turning all the amazing autumn colours it is time to get into the Fall baking. This is the time of year when I tend to bake things that are more savoury. Where I make pumpkin pies, apple crisps, and of course carrot cake.
Kevin’s birthday is the end of September, the 25th to be exact, and I always try to make him something special. This year I decided to make him a carrot cake for his special day.
We had gone to the Calgary Farmers Market the other day and we got some of the best carrots from Innisfail Growers. The Beck Farms grows the best carrots hands down. If you are looking for sweet carrots you need to get Becks. They are a little more expensive than the carrots from the grocery store but are absolutely worth it.
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as Kevin did!
Here are some tips for making a great carrot cake:
- 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 cup 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 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, 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.
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.
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 as well and smooth out.
I’m not great at icing cakes so I tend to use the “nude” cake method.
Carrot Cake
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.
