Who has an awesome carrot cake recipe?

[SaraJayne]

My DH's bday is tomorrow and he has requested carrot cake as his cake.

I have apparently gone 17 years never knowing carrot cake was his favorite. He has never once ordered carrot cake when it was option at a restaurant, so it's understandable I never knew this fact about him.

So I'm going to make a carrot cake for him, but since I've never made it, I'd like to make a recipe I know is going to be good.

Who has a kick-butt carrot cake recipe?

 

[Juliegirl1]

This recipe comes from the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook. I love all of her cake recipes. They are always moist and they don't have that cake mix taste.
This is one of my favorites....


CARROT CAKE WITH FRESH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix(not the kind with pudding added)
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (5 medium carrots)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening. Dust with flour, then shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, oil, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well blended. Gently fold in the carrots, raisins, and nuts with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert each again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. (recipe follows)

5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

Place this cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator before serving.


Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)


1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the confectioners' sugar, a bit at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well combined, 1 minute. Then add the orange juice and zest to the mixture. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 1 minute more.

2. Use at once to frost the Carrot Cake

 

[lynxstch]

I am stealing Julie Girls recipe, after I say thanks, that sounds yummy..we are carrot cake lovers also. LOL to the OP that you didn't know carrot cake was your husband's favorite after all those years, maybe he didn't know it was his favorite till recently, lol! Happy Birthday to him, and good luck to you in making a carrot cake!

 

[mrsv98]

My DH's bday is tomorrow and he has requested carrot cake as his cake.

I have apparently gone 17 years never knowing carrot cake was his favorite. He has never once ordered carrot cake when it was option at a restaurant, so it's understandable I never knew this fact about him.

So I'm going to make a carrot cake for him, but since I've never made it, I'd like to make a recipe I know is going to be good.

Who has a kick-butt carrot cake recipe?

I made cupcakes from Alton Brown's recipe last week and it was very yummy! The frosting is killer...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/carrot-cake-recipe/index.html

I like it because instead of all vegetable oil, it uses 1/2 oil and half greek yogurt. The only adjustment I would make is a bit more of the spices since I really like those flavors but suit your to taste.

 

[hops&dreams]

I have a totally awesome carrot cake recipe, but it's at home.

It was given to me by an old co-worker and it makes the most moist, delicious carrot cake! Her secret is the spices - her recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice, and lots of it (2-5 tbsp, depending on how spicy you want it). But the recipe made a perfect 9x13, which was great for pitch-ins/pot lucks at the office.

I also leave out the raisins and nuts. I toast the nuts in the oven and leave them on the side, and can be sprinkled onto the icing if people want them.

The icing was super easy and yummy too - and if I remember correctly, this recipe was NOT good for you. It was full of butter and cream cheese (frosting) and deliciousness.

Now I want some carrot cake... guess I'll be making one tonight too!!!

 

[SaraJayne]

This recipe comes from the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook. I love all of her cake recipes. They are always moist and they don't have that cake mix taste.
This is one of my favorites....


CARROT CAKE WITH FRESH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix(not the kind with pudding added)
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (5 medium carrots)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening. Dust with flour, then shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, orange juice, oil, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well blended. Gently fold in the carrots, raisins, and nuts with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert each again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. (recipe follows)

5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.

Place this cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator before serving.


Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)


1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the confectioners' sugar, a bit at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well combined, 1 minute. Then add the orange juice and zest to the mixture. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 1 minute more.

2. Use at once to frost the Carrot Cake

Ooo, thanks! This is the recipe I'm going to try!

 

[Tuffcookie]

This is a carrot cake recipe that appeared in the Akron Beacon Journal many years ago that a local restaurant (Egg Castle) used to make. It is the most awesome carrot cake that I have ever tasted!

Carrot Cake

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease & flour 3 8" round pans.

Drain pineapple, reserving half the juice. In a large bowl, cream sugar & oil. Beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in pineapple, reserved juice, carrots, & nuts.

Pour batter into pans. Bake for 25 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


Cream Cheese Icing

1 lb. cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar

Cream butter & cream cheese together with mixer, add vanilla. Then gradually beat in sugar. Mix until icing is of spreading consistency. (I have added a few drops of milk to get to spreading consistency). Ice cooled cakes.


TC

 

[Thumper_Man]

Ooh, a thread after my own heart. Carrot cake is my favorite. I'll have to show this one to DW. She's the baker in the family.

 

[laurafergie]

This carrot cake recipe is from my DH's grandmother, who is 90! And grew up out in the country in Oklahoma. It is to die for.

Great-Granny's Carrot Cake

Wet Mix
3 C carrots, ground or grated fine
2 C sugar
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Dry Mix sifted together
2 C Flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix wet ingrediants and add dry ingriediants. Combine well in mixer.
Spoon into 3 (9 inch) greased, floured cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 stick or 1/2 C Butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 C chopped pecans

Cream sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add nuts. Place between layers and on top while cake is still slightly warm.

 

[hops&dreams]

I'm going grocery shopping to pick up carrots to make this today, and thought I'd post it... It's quick, no muss, no fuss.



Carrot Cake

Ingredients
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups Wesson oil (vegetable oil)
• 1.5 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or more)
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups grated carrots
• ½ cup walnuts (optional)
• ½ cup raisins (optional)

Directions:
Combine cake ingredients. Dump pumpkin pie spices freely to a “nice, healthy” brown. (I usually add 2-2 ½ tbsp of spices because I like it really spicy.)
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Icing:
• 1 stick butter
• 1 brick cream cheese
• 1 box powdered sugar (3 ½ to 3 ¾ cups)
• 2 tsp vanilla

It's not super healthy (1.5 cups of oil AND 4 eggs, not to mention the whole stick of butter in the frosting!!!) but omg, it's yummy! I'm so excited to make (and especially eat!) this today!

OP - happy birthday to your hubs! whatever recipe you use, I hope your cake turns out delicious!

 

[SaraJayne]

Thank you, hops&dreams! I tried to quote you, but the board is acting up again.

I went to make his cake this morning...and found I was out of eggs.

We are going to visit MIL in the hospital today, so we'll have to make a stop at the grocery store to pick up some eggs, so I can make it tonight after dinner.

 

[bgirldeb]

I've posted this one before. It's really good, and came from a community cookbook I got at a garage sale. . I never liked carrot cake before I tried this recipe.

Carrot Cake

2 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ c vegetable oil
4 eggs
3c shredded carrots
½ c chopped pecans

Sift together flour, soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add oil, eggs and carrots. Beat well. Add pecans. Pour into three greased and floured 8-inch cake pans or one 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake 30 minutes and 350 for layers or 45 to 50 minutes for loaf cake. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then on cake racks.

Creamy Icing:

1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
3 ½ c sifted powdered sugar
½ c margarine
2 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped pecans
½ c coconut (optional)

Soften Cheese, Blend in remaining ingredients until smooth.
Spread over cool cake.