The Ultimate Carrot Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with spray.
• Cover the raisins with very hot water and let sit until plump, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and then chop 1 cup of the pecans; reserve for the cake batter. Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor until very finely ground; reserve for garnish.
• Combine the carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually stream in the oil. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the carrot mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the raisins and chopped pecans with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioner' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: When the cakes are completely cool, trim the domes of each cake round with a large serrated knife so the tops are flat. Place one cake, cut-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over top. Place the remaining cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread the top with another 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively if desired. Sprinkle with the finely ground pecans.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. For the cake, finely grate the zest from the orange and squeeze 3 tbsp of juice. Pour the juice over the raisins in a bowl, stir in zest, then leave to soak while you make the cake. Lightly oil and line the base of a deep 20cm square cake tin. Mix the flours with 1 tsp baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.
• Separate one of the eggs. Put the white in a small bowl and the yolk in a large one. Break the remaining whole egg in with the yolk, then tip in the sugar. Whisk together for 1-2 mins until thick and foamy. Slowly pour in the oil and continue to whisk on a low speed until well mixed. Tip in the flour mix, half at a time, and gently stir it into the egg mixture with a rubber spatula or big spoon. The mix will be quite stiff. Put the extra pinch of baking powder in with the egg white and whisk to soft peaks.
• Fold the carrot, raisins (and any liquid) into the flour mixture. Gently fold in the whisked egg white, then pour into the tin. Jiggle the tin to level the mixture. Bake for 1 hr until risen and firm or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin 5 mins, turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper, then leave until cold.
• To make the frosting, stir the soft cheese, Quark, icing sugar and orange zest together - don't overbeat. Stir in the lemon juice. Swirl the frosting over the cake and cut into 16 square. This cake is even better if left well wrapped for a day or two before icing and eating. Will keep up to 5 days uniced in an airtight tin, or in the fridge if iced.

Steps:

• Prepare muffin tins with papers (about 48 regular cupcakes) or two 9-inch round cake pans (2 inch sides) with parchment and oil.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coarsely grate the carrots in a food processor using the grater attachment.
• Chop them into finer pieces with the medal blade attachment in the food processor, if you want the texture of the cake a little bit finer.
• Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest.
• Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.
• Add the finely chopped carrots, walnuts (or coconut), and raisins (or dried cherries).
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans or scoop into cupcake papers (fill 3/4 full).
• Bake cupcakes for about 18-25 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
• Bake 9-inch cakes for about 35-40 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
• Cool in pan(s) on wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
• Make frosting by combining all frosting ingredients and beating well, until fluffy.
• NOTE: If you like lots of frosting, double this recipe, but you'll have some left over, even if you are generous with it while frosting the cake. But it's delicious on EVERYTHING!
• To assemble the cake, remove from pan(s) and peel off the parchment paper from the bottom, place on cardboard rounds.
• With a thin serrated knife slice off the very top of the cake layer, using a sawing motion, to level the tops, if desired.
• Cut the cake layers into 2 equal layers. Slide the layers onto a cardboard round or any other flat surface.
• Using an offset spatula spread about 1½ cups of the frosting evenly over the surface of the first layer.
• Top with the next layer and repeat for the rest of the layers.
• Place about 2 cups of the icing on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
• Spread the icing onto the sides of the cake.
• Using the spatula, create swirls in the frosting on the cake. This cream cheese frosting is very soft so you won't want to try for anything too exacting.
• Press additional shredded coconut onto the sides of this cake, as a garnish, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger onto a sheet of waxed paper.
• Mix the sugars together in a large bowl.
• Stir in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• Stir in the flour mixture, grated carrots, chopped pecans, coconut and raisins.
• Stir until well blended.
• Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• Line each prepared pan with wax or parchment paper that has also been greased and waxed.
• Pour equal amounts into each of the cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Turn out onto cooling racks, remove wax paper and allow to cool completely.
• In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until light.
• Add the confectioners sugar, orange peel and vanilla mixing until smooth.
• Spread frosting between layers and stack evenly.
• Frost the top and sides of cake.
• Decorate with perfect pecan halves.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of 3 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray.
• Make the cake: Grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 6 cups.
• In a large bowl, combine the grated carrots and buttermilk and stir until the carrots are completely coated.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), combine the brown and granulated sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture drips from the whisk in ribbons, about 3 minutes.
• With the mixer running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through, if necessary. Continue mixing until the mixture is fully emulsified, about 2 minutes.
• Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add ½ of the carrot mixture and continue mixing on low speed until incorporated. Continue alternating adding the flour and carrot mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a flat rubber spatula to bring the batter together.
• Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and let cool completely.
• Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, salt, and vanilla bean seeds until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until silky and smooth, about 4 minutes.
• Assemble the cake: Dab a bit of frosting on a cake board and place a cake layer on top. Scoop 1 cup of frosting onto the cake. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Use the remaining frosting to coat the top of the cake completely, leaving the sides naked.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Beat brown and white sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until well combined. Mix in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in carrots and pineapple, then fold in pecans. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While the cake is cooling, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for frosting in a medium bowl. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Spread frosting over the cooled cake.