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This carrot cake is a perfect balance of moistness and sweetness, loaded with fresh carrots, plump raisins, crunchy walnuts and juicy pineapple chunks, all crowned with a delicate cream cheese frosting that melts in your mouth. The combination of textures and flavors creates a rustic yet sophisticated dessert that's ideal for any occasion.
I first made this carrot cake for my daughter's birthday after she requested something "different" from the usual chocolate cake. It was such a hit that it has become our signature family celebration cake, appearing at nearly every gathering since.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: creates the perfect structure without being too heavy
- Baking soda: provides the ideal rise without any chemical aftertaste
- Salt: enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness
- Cinnamon: brings classic warm spice notes essential to good carrot cake
- Sugar: provides sweetness while helping to keep the cake moist
- Large eggs: bind everything together and add richness
- Vegetable oil: creates that signature moistness carrot cake is known for
- Freshly grated carrots: are the star ingredient providing moisture and subtle sweetness
- Chopped walnuts: add wonderful texture contrast and nutty flavor
- Raisins: bring natural sweetness and chewy pockets throughout the cake
- Crushed pineapple: adds tropical sweetness and incredible moisture
- Cream cheese: forms the base of the tangy frosting that defines carrot cake
- Butter: adds richness and stability to the frosting
- Vanilla extract: enhances the frosting with subtle aromatic flavor
- Confectioners sugar: creates silky smooth sweetness in the frosting
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare Your Pans:
- Set your oven to 350°F and prepare two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom. Thoroughly spray both the parchment and sides of pans with cooking spray to ensure easy release later. The parchment is crucial for preventing the moist cake from sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour baking soda salt and cinnamon until they are evenly distributed. This ensures your leavening and spices will be perfectly dispersed throughout the cake for consistent flavor and texture in every bite.
- Combine Wet Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl vigorously whisk together the sugar eggs and vegetable oil until the mixture becomes slightly lighter in color and everything is thoroughly combined. The oil creates that signature moistness that makes carrot cake so irresistible.
- Create The Batter:
- Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold everything together until just combined. Overmixing at this stage can develop too much gluten resulting in a tough cake so use a light hand with your spatula.
- Add The Mix Ins:
- Add your freshly grated carrots plump raisins crunchy walnuts and drained crushed pineapple to the batter. Fold everything together until all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the batter. This combination creates the perfect texture and flavor profile.
- Bake To Perfection:
- Divide the batter equally between your prepared pans and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 30 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Make The Frosting:
- While the cakes cool completely beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add vanilla and gradually incorporate the confectioners sugar continuing to beat until the frosting is silky and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Assemble The Cake:
- Place the first completely cooled cake layer on your serving platter. Spread about 1½ cups of frosting evenly across the top. Position the second cake layer on top and use your spatula to frost the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
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The crushed pineapple is truly the secret weapon in this recipe. I discovered its magic when I accidentally added twice the amount called for in my grandmother's recipe. Everyone raved about how moist the cake was, and now I always make sure to include it. The natural enzymes in pineapple tenderize the cake crumb in a way nothing else can.
Storage Success
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting needs refrigeration due to the dairy in the frosting. Store it in an airtight cake container for up to four days. For best flavor and texture, remove the cake from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. The cake layers without frosting can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to three months, making this a great make ahead dessert option for busy times.
Perfect Substitutions
If you're looking to customize this recipe, there are several successful substitutions. Replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of applesauce for a lighter version with less fat. Pecans work beautifully in place of walnuts for a more southern flair. For those who don't enjoy raisins, try dried cranberries or cherries instead. Anyone with pineapple allergies can substitute an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for similar moisture.
Serving Suggestions
This carrot cake stands magnificently on its own, but there are ways to elevate the presentation. Serve slices with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a delightful temperature contrast. For a professional touch, decorate the top with tiny marzipan carrots or candied walnut halves. A light dusting of cinnamon on the plate adds visual appeal and echoes the spices in the cake. This dessert pairs wonderfully with coffee, particularly a medium roast with nutty undertones.
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Commonly Asked Questions
- → Can I replace the oil in this carrot cake?
Yes, you can substitute the vegetable oil with an equal amount of applesauce to reduce calories. The cake will still maintain its moisture and delicious flavor.
- → How long does this carrot cake stay fresh?
When stored in a closed cake container in the refrigerator, this carrot cake will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
- → Can I add different spices to the carrot cake?
Absolutely! While cinnamon is traditional, you can enhance the flavor by adding other spices such as ginger, nutmeg, or cloves. Carrot cake is essentially a spice cake, so don't be shy with seasonings.
- → Why doesn't this carrot cake use baking powder?
Baking powder is intentionally omitted as it tends to add an unwanted chemical flavor. The baking soda provides sufficient leavening when combined with the acidic ingredients.
- → Should I slice the cake layers before frosting?
No, it's best to keep this as a simple two-layer cake. Carrot cake is meant to be rustic, and slicing the layers can make them crumbly and difficult to work with.
- → Why must the cake cool completely before frosting?
If the cake is still warm when you apply the cream cheese frosting, the heat will cause the frosting to melt into a runny consistency. Always allow the cake to cool completely for the best results.