Carrot Cake
Lightly spiced and full of warm flavor, this classic treat makes eating your vegetables so much sweeter.
Ingredients
FOR CAKE
- 2½ cups self-rising flour
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- ½ cup crushed pineapple with juice
- ¾ cup raisins
- 1 cup walnuts chopped, plus more to garnish, optional
FOR FROSTING
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 24 ounces cream cheese
- 5½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
TO MAKE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Sift together flour, spices, and baking soda and set aside.
- Line the bottoms of three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- In a bowl, beat sugar, oil, and vanilla together at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time.
- Slow down the mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture a little at a time.
- Fold in carrots, crushed pineapple, raisins, and walnuts.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes, then flip cakes onto cooling racks to cool completely.
TO MAKE FROSTING
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- When brown flecks start to appear and it starts to smell nutty, remove from heat.
- Cool browned butter in the refrigerator until it has become solid again.
- Add browned butter and cream cheese to a bowl and use a mixer to beat on high until fluffy.
- Reduce mixer speed and add in powdered sugar.
- Add salt and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Frost each layer, sides, and top, then garnish.