Foolproof Carrot Cake Recipe
Raise your hand if you love carrot cake. I love carrot cake. If it’s on the menu, I can guarantee I’ll order it. I’m a purist, I like my carrot cake without nuts, raisin, or fruit. Why mess with perfection and add in all those extras?!? My go to recipe for carrot cake is from Maria’s Mixing Bowl. I’ve been using it for years and it has never failed me. It’s super easy to make and delivers perfect results every time. It’s what I make when I need a dessert that I know will work and everyone will love.
Key Ingredients
Carrots - grate and squeeze out any excess water
Vegetable Oil - or flavourless oil of your choice
Flour - Use all-purpose flour. I recommend weighing your flour. It’s more accurate.
Cane Sugar
Brown Sugar - this gives the cake it’s caramel like flavour
Cinnamon - I like to use Ceylon cinnamon, but use what ever you have on hand, just make sure it’s fresh.
Baking Soda - or bicarbonate soda as it’s called here in Sweden.
Baking Powder - use both soda and powder, this is a wet cake and you need both to help it rise
Vanilla Extract - use the good stuff. It’s really hard to find real vanilla extract here (note to self to stock up when I visit home this summer). It’s syrupy and thick if you get the liquid version or you can get it in powder form. I use the liquid, but seriously considering just making my own using Zoë François’ method.
Eggs - use large eggs.
Butter (Frosting) - the recipe calls for unsalted, but I used what I had on hand which was salted and it worked well.
Cream Cheese (Frosting) - again use full fat. I used lactose free and it worked just fine.
Powdered Sugar (Frosting) - sift to get out any lumps before using
How to make Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 350F or 180C and grease and line 2 7” pans
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps and combine well
Add all wet ingredients and mix until well combined
Stir in grated carrots
Pour cake batter into prepared pan
Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Let cake cool for 10 minutes in pan, then flip onto wire rack and cool completely
Prepare frosting and frost cake once it’s fully cooled.
Tools to make Carrot Cake
2 7” cake pans
Whisk
Mixing bowls
Parchment paper
Digital scale
Measuring cups/spoons
Other ways to customise your cake
Make a 3 layer cake by dividing the batter into 3 6” cake pans - bake about 30-35 min or until a toothpick comes out clean
Feel free to add in 1 cup chopped nuts or dried fruit if you like those in your carrot cake
Coconut would be another good addition
Add chopped nuts to frosted cake
If you try the recipe, tag me on social media (@mplsgirl) and let me know what you think!
