Who doesn’t love Carrot Cake? It’s so moist and fresh tasting. My love affair with this dessert started back in the 80’s with Dufflet’s, an amazing Toronto bakery. My friend Loggia is well known for getting raves for her cake. I recently interviewed Sadaf of Cake By Sadaf, and she also has an amazing version in a layered cake. I’ve been making mine for a long time, using a recipe I’ve tweaked over the years. My version has shredded coconut, walnuts, and pineapple. I like using a bundt pan* over cake pans but that’s just my preference. There are lots of recipes out there and you just have to find the one that suits your palate, but here’s mine.
*Feb 4, 2021 Update – I love the Pampered Chef products so much that I joined a week ago. If you are interested in the beautiful bundt pan or any of the amazing products, please click here to check out what they have: https://www.pamperedchef.ca/pws/dishwithjudy
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Bundt pan or 2 cake pans
Ingredients
- ½ cup oil mixed with 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2 cups flour (sifted)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 - 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 can 14 oz crushed pineapples, drained
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- ½ cup shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 10” bundt pan or two round cake pans.
- Mix sugar and oil together. Add beaten eggs to oil and sugar mixture. Blend with a mixer and gradually add sifted flour, spices, salt, baking powder, baking soda, mixing well. Stir in carrots, pineapples, nuts and vanilla and try not to overmix. Pour into bundt pan. Bake 50 mins - 60 mins (depends on your oven) or pour into two cake pans for 35 - 40 mins.
- Do the cake test with a toothpick. Let it cool before removing from the pan.
- Loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife and flip onto a plate. Cool before frosting. * Cake can be frozen until it’s time to frost. After you frost the cake, it’s better to refridgerate for a couple of hours so the frosting can stiffen. It actually tastes better the next day.
Notes
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract, plus 2 - 3 tsp milk Using a mixer, blend cream cheese (room temperature) with butter. Gradually add icing sugar, vanilla. Add 2 - 3 tsp milk or orange juice until you get the right consistency. Optional: I also mix in a heaping tablespoon of strawberry jam into the frosting. I don't know why. It just gives a nice flavour. It’s also fun to add a little green food colouring at Christmas or mix yellow + red for a light orange colour. I usually end up with pink instead of orange. It still tastes good!