Carrot cake has always seemed to me like one of those mysterious things that you can't possible do by yourself so you have to go to the local bakery and buy one instead, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it's so easy that you don't even need to use a mix master but can make one just as easily by hand using a wire whip. That's pretty easy, I'd say. Actually, the hardest part of making a carrot cake is grating the dang carrots because they have to be finely grated and that takes time and you need to watch out for your knuckles on the grater. It's easy to mistake a carrot for a knuckle and that you don't want to do. Other than that, it's a cinch and you'll be glad you made the decision to treat everyone with something they love. One nice thing is that you can add or subtract whatever you don't like and it won't affect the quality of the cake at all. If you like nuts, then put them in; if not, leave them out. If you like raisins, then by all means, add them. If you hate raisins, the cake won't suffer if they're not in there. Here is the recipe, then, and good luck on making one of the world's favorite cakes!2 1/4 C. cake flour (you don't even need to sift it)
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 teasp. baking soda
2 teasp. ground cinnamon
1/2 teasp. salt
1/2 teasp. ground allspice or ground ginger
3/4 C. mayonnaise
3 large eggs
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
3/4 C. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
3/4 C. raisins (also optional)
2 C. finely shredded carrots (not optional, otherwise it wouldn't be carrot cake)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9" X 13" oblong pan with baking spray.
2. Combine cake flour, sugar, baking soda, spices and salt in medium bowl.
3. Combine mayonnaise, eggs and pineapple with juice in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat well either by hand or with an electric mixer. beat on medium speed or by hand for 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
4. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
5. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
Here are the grated carrots
The dry ingredients.
The eggs, pineapple and mayonnaise.
Mixing in the nuts and getting ready to pour into the baking pan.Next comes the cream cheese frosting without which a carrot cake would hardly be worth going to the trouble to make. Here is the best recipe I've found:
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
6 T. butter, softened
1 teasp. vanilla extract
1 to 2 T. milk
4 cups (1 pound) confectioner's sugar
1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add milk by teaspoonful until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency.
3. Place one cake layer, topside down, on serving plate. Spread with frosting. Top with remaining layer, topside up. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.
Makes 12 to 16 servings. Enjoy!
The powdered sugar, cream cheese and butter ready to be combined.
The finished frosting and the cake waiting to be cut and eaten. Enjoy!
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