Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake is one of my husband’s favorite desserts along with Classic Southern Pecan Pie.  I frequently make this grand cake for special occasions.  Recently, my six-year-old grandson, Jackson, got an introduction to Carrot Cake at my house. When he found out I was making a Carrot Cake, his response was the same as mine when I, as a child, first heard of Carrot Cakes,

“I didn’t know you could put carrots in cakes.”

Yes, indeed.  Carrots in cakes makes the loveliest of lovely cakes.  Added pecans, raisins, and spices help out, also.  And the Cream Cheese Icing pulls its weight, too.

There’s a million and twelve Carrot Cake recipes out there; all similar. Of course, the best recipes are the ones your Granny and Mama used.  Well, my Granny and Mama didn’t make Carrot Cake. Oh, they loved it but they’d rather buy it than  make it. It wasn’t a cake I grew up eating.  On rare occasion, after I was older, they’d buy one for Christmas.

It’s not hard to make a Carrot Cake taste good. The trick is making it moist. And the answer to that challenge lies with the carrots.  Always grate fresh carrots  and  nevah, evah buy pre-grated carrots for this recipe. Pre-grated carrots dry out and you need all the natural moisture a carrot can give in order to produce a moist Carrot Cake.  Secondly, use at three cups of grated carrots.  The majority of recipes call for two cups of grated carrots.  Go the extra mile for a third cup.  The extra cup gives flavor and moisture.

Well, this cake was declared a success by Jackson. His mama tells me sometime after his Carrot Cake eating adventure at my house, they had dinner at a well-known restaurant offering Carrot Cake as a dessert. So, they ordered it.  Jackson ate the cake and declared,

“Just for the record, this Carrot Cake isn’t as good as Nana’s.”

There’s no better endorsement in this world. I can die a happy Nana.

Y’all come see us!

Carrot Cake

preheat oven to 350 degrees

yield:12 servings

Carrot Cake is best when it gets moisture from fresh grated carrots instead of bags of pre-grated carrots purchased in grocery stores. 

3 cups self-rising flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups pecan, chopped

1 cup raisins

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

3 cups grated carrots

Whisk together flour and cinnamon.  Add pecans and raisins and stir until well coated.  Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat sugar and oil on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at time, beating until mixed well into batter.

On low-speed, gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in grated carrots.

Pour into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans that are well-greased and floured.  Gently tap the filled cake pans on the counter to release air bubbles.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove pans and place on a cooling rack for 1o minutes. Remove cakes from pans and continue to cool completely on racks before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

16 ounces powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For a variation on a frosting recipe that would be delicious on this cake, check out Mascarpone Cheese Frosting.

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5 from 1 vote

Carrot Cake

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• Carrot Cake
• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• yield:12 servings
• Carrot Cake is best when it gets moisture from fresh grated carrots instead of bags of pre-grated carrots purchased in grocery stores.
• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups pecan chopped
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups grated carrots
• Cream Cheese Icing
• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 16 ounces powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Whisk together flour and cinnamon. Add pecans and raisins and stir until well coated. Set aside.
• With an electric mixer, beat sugar and oil on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at time, beating until mixed well into batter.
• On low-speed, gradually beat in flour mixture.
• Stir in grated carrots.
• Pour into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans that are well-greased and floured. Gently tap the filled cake pans on the counter to release air bubbles.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove pans and place on a cooling rack for 1o minutes. Remove cakes from pans and continue to cool completely on racks before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

• Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add in powdered sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Add one teaspoon vanilla extract and beat.
• Spread on cooled cake layers.

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