simple carrot cake recipe is an old-fashioned dessert that people have been eating for many years. It’s a great mix of moist cake and creamy frosting, and the carrots make it even better. In this article, we’ll talk about the history of carrot cake, and the health benefits of eating it, and give you a step-by-step recipe for making your own tasty carrot cake.

The Origins of This Simple Carrot Cake Recipe

Carrot cake has been around for a long time. The first written recipe for carrot cake comes from the Middle Ages. In the past, carrots were used to make desserts sweet because sugar was expensive and hard to find. During World War II, when sugar and butter were hard to come by and people had to get creative with their desserts, carrot cake became popular. Carrot cake is a common item in many bakeries and cafes all over the world.

The Nutritional Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are a very healthy vegetable that is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are a great source of vitamin A, which is important for good eyesight. They also have vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Carrots have few calories and may make you less likely to get cancer and heart disease.

The Ingredients for Carrot Cake

The ingredients for this cake are simple, and I bet you already have a lot of them in your kitchen. The full recipe is below, but here’s a quick overview:

I like to use all-purpose flour, but you can also use whole wheat or white whole wheat flour in place of some of the all-purpose flour. Replace the flour with your preferred gluten-free flour blend to make a gluten-free carrot cake.

Baking soda helps the cake rise. We don’t add baking powder because the cake doesn’t need it.

The cake tastes great because it has salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in it.

The oil keeps the cake moist, and any oil with a neutral taste will do. (Melted coconut oil also works, but the baked cake will have a light coconut flavor.)

Sugar makes the cake fluffy, moist, and tasty. I like to use both white sugar and brown sugar, but you don’t have to. Since we posted the recipe, some of our readers have asked if the amount of sugar in the recipe can be cut down. You can, but remember that the amount we tell you will make the moistest cake.

Eggs are what gives the cake its shape.

This is the best carrot cake because it has a lot of carrots. I like to grate my carrots by hand because I like the way they feel. You can also use a food processor or buy carrots that have already been grated. When we first made the cake, we cut back the amount of carrots to two cups because three cups seemed like a lot. We were a little sad when we took it out of the oven and let it cool. So, if you’re making the cake and start to question how many carrots the recipe calls for, don’t. You need all three cups. After all, it is a carrot cake.

Pecans and raisins aren’t necessary. Some people love nuts and raisins in carrot cake, but others can’t stand them. These are completely up to you, so choose what you like.

How to Make the Cake Batter

This recipe for carrot cake is very easy to make! You only need a couple of bowls and the ability to mix ingredients together. Simply combine all the ingredients together as shown in the recipe instructions.

To make things easy, I mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl and the wet ingredients together in another. I whisk the dry ingredients until they are well blended and then do the same for the wet ingredients.

Next, I use a rubber spatula or large spoon to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. I continue folding until there are no large streaks of flour visible.

Once the batter is prepared, I add the carrots, and sometimes the nuts and raisins if I choose to use them. I gently fold them into the batter until they are well mixed.

How to Bake the Cake

To bake the carrot cake, put the batter in two buttered and floured cake pans and bake them until they are ready. They usually take around 35 to 40 minutes to bake, and the smell is amazing. After they are baked, let them cool down before adding your favorite frosting on top.

Frosting the Cake

We really like our creamy cream cheese frosting. It’s soft and stays creamy, unlike some frostings that get hard.

If you don’t like frosting or don’t have the ingredients for it, you can try the cake without any frosting. Another option is to sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. When My husband and I were testing the recipe, we tried the cake without frosting and we loved it just as it was.

Variations of carrot cake

Carrot cake can be made with different variations to suit your taste. Some popular variations include:

Carrot cake with raisins or dried fruit
with pineapple
Carrot cake with coconut
Gluten-free carrot cake
Vegan carrot cake

More cake recipes you may like:

Simple Carrot Cake Recipe

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Print Recipe

This is the best recipe I’ve ever used for carrot cake. When preparing the carrots, we like to use a hand grater because it makes fine carrot shreds that melt into the cake batter. You can also use pre-shredded bags or a food processor to shred carrots, but the shreds will be bigger.

This recipe is easy to mess up. This can be made with or without nuts and raisins. We love it when granulated sugar and brown sugar are used together, but if you only have one of them, you can still make the cake.

Frosting: The recipe for our creamy frosting below is not a typical cream cheese frosting. It’s creamier and has soft peaks because of the whipped cream (you can see it in our video). We love it, but if you want a more traditional frosting, check out the tips section below the recipe. We told you how to make a classic cream cheese frosting that goes well with this cake.

Instructions

MAKE THE BATTER :

Place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the tops. Or, grease and flour both pans’ bottoms and sides.
The oven should be heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until they are very well mixed.
In a different bowl, whisk together the oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Add the eggs one by one, whisking well after each addition.
Use a large rubber spatula instead. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, stirring gently until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
Mix in the nuts, raisins, and carrots.

BAKE CAKE :

Split the cake batter between the pans that have already been greased.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the tops of the cake layers bounce back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes before carefully turning them out onto cooling racks. Cool fully after removing the parchment paper. If a cake layer becomes stuck to the bottom of the pan, turn the cake pan upside down and let gravity take its course.

TO FINISH :

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed for about a minute to beat the cream cheese until it becomes creamy.
Add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating until the mixture is fluffy.
Pour the whipped cream into the pan. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the frosting is fluffy and smooth. The texture of this frosting is like that of whipped cream. Cover and chill until you’re ready to ice the cake.
When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer and place the other cake layer on top.
Add the rest of the frosting to the top of the carrot cake and swirl it around with a butter knife or small spatula. Don’t frost the sides of the cake. Add a handful of nuts on top to finish.

Author: Chef Lisa

In conclusion, carrot cake is a timeless classic that has delighted taste buds for generations. With its moist, fluffy texture and the warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, it’s no wonder that carrot cake remains a popular dessert choice. Whether you’re looking for a special treat for a celebration or just want to indulge in something sweet and satisfying, this recipe for homemade carrot cake is sure to impress. So why not gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to enjoy a slice of this delicious dessert?

Chef Lisa

Hi there, I’m Chef Lisa, a culinary enthusiast with a passion for creating delicious dishes that bring people together. With years of experience in the kitchen, I’ve honed my skills and developed a unique style that blends classic techniques with modern flavors. Whether I’m experimenting with new ingredients or putting a twist on a traditional recipe, my goal is always to create something that is both delicious and memorable. I’m excited to share my love of cooking with you and can’t wait to see what we’ll create together!