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Carrot Cake is not just for Easter anymore. I mean, it defiantly needs to be included on Easter, but I make this more than just once a year (yeah, it’s that good).
This recipe comes from my great grandma and has been passed down with each generation. Each of us mamas making little tweaks to get to this beautifully smooth and moist carrot cake that is so easy that you will find yourself making it for more than just Easter.
Growing up I always looked forward to my mother making carrot cake. I always felt that it should be made more often than a couple times a year. Now as an adult, I totally understand why my mother didn’t make it weekly like I would have preferred. Well simply put, this stuff is addicting. I would have made myself sick eating a whole cake and not sharing. Seriously, this is not like a lot of those dry based cakes and barely any cream cheese frosting smeared on top. This cake is so good you won’t want to put down the fork. Seriously.
For the Cake:
- 2 cups canned carrots or the secret ingredient is actually baby food carrots
- 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
- 4 Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar (give or take)
- 2 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream ( can use Milk as a substitute)
Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer or if using the baby food puree, you can do it by hand.
If you are baking in a 9×13 pan then all you have to do is spray the pan before pouring in the dough in. Then and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
If you’re doubling this and making 9″ rounds, you will want to butter the pan and use parchment paper rounds for the bottom of the pan before pouring in the dough. Then proceed to bake at 350 for 70-80 minutes. The 9″ rounds take a lot longer to bake. But to get the toothpick to come out clean when checking for doneness that’s what it is going to take. I love to do the rounds for Easter. I turn the rounds into a cute little bunny. For the rest of the year I make it in a 9×13 pan for easy storage and less clean up.
The Frosting:
I think that only cream cheese frosting belongs on a carrot cake. I make my frosting by taste (the way my mama taught me). You start out with a 8oz brick of cream cheese, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and 2 tbsp of milk. Use a hand mixer or stand up mixer to really whip the frosting to a fluffy smooth texture. You will need to add more powdered sugar as you go to find the right thickness, about 4 cups total. If you feel that you have gotten it too thick, then thin it out with a little milk or what I prefer is using heavy whipping cream. Tasting is highly suggested so that it doesn’t t loose the taste of the cream cheese and over power it with powdered sugar.
If you don’t care for cream cheese frosting you can always top this with a traditional butter cream frosting (again I was taught by taste). Instead of the 8oz brick of cream cheese you will use 1 stick of butter. Whip it with a hand mixer before you add anything else. You will still use the powdered sugar, but I like to use heavy whipping cream in place of milk and I add in 1 tbsp of pure Vanilla extract. Mix until your preferred thickness.
Carrot Cake
Equipment
- hand or stand up mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups Canned Carrots or Baby Food carrots puree (the baby food is the best hands down)
- 1½ cups Vegetable Oil
- 4 Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar (give or take)
- 2 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream (can use Milk as a subsitute)
Instructions
- For the Cake:
- Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer or if using the baby food puree you can do by hand.
- If you are baking in a 9×13 pan then all you have to do is spray the pan before pouring in the dough in. Then and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
- If you're doubling this and making 9" rounds , you will want to butter the pan and use parchment paper rounds for the bottom of the pan before pouring in the dough. Then proceed to bake at 350 for 70-80 minutes. The 9" rounds take a lot longer to bake. But to get the toothpick to come out clean when checking for doneness that's what it is going to take. I love to do the rounds for Easter. I turn the rounds into a cute little bunny. For the rest of the year I make it in a 9×13 pan for easy storage and less clean up.
- The Frosting:
- I think that only cream cheese frosting belongs on a carrot cake; but some people who aren't huge fans of cream cheese beg to differ. I make my frosting by taste (the way my mama taught me). You start out with a 8oz brick of cream cheese, 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of milk. Use a hand mixer or stand up mixer to really whip the frosting to a fluffy smooth texture. You will need to add more powdered sugar as you go to find the right thickness, about 4 cups total. If you feel that you have gotten it too thick then thin it out with a little milk or what I prefer is using heavy whipping cream. Tasting is highly suggested so that it doesn't t loose the taste of the cream cheese and over power it with powdered sugar.
- If you don't care for cream cheese frosting you can always top this with a traditional butter cream frosting (again I was taught by taste). Instead of the 8oz brick of cream cheese you will use 1 stick of butter. Whip it with a hand mixer before you add anything else. You will still use the powdered sugar, but I like to use heavy whipping cream in place of milk and I add in 1 tbsp of pure Vanilla extract. Mix until your preferred thickness.
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