Carrot Cake

[JaimeLynne]

Do any of you know how to make a carrot cake? Is it hard??

 

It's our roommates bday and no one's ever made a cake for him. I sent his best friend on a mission to find out what kind of cake he likes, thinking it'd be something easy like chocolate or vanilla but he came back with carrot cake! Martin thinks we should just buy one but the whole point was to bake him a homemade cake.

[TammyWright]

carrot cake is super easy to make and so yummy...especially the cream cheese frosting...

 

this is a basic one:

 

Quote:

ingredients Cake 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 4 large eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound) 1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce) 1/2 cup raisins   Frosting 4 cups powdered sugar 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 4 teaspoons vanilla extract preparation For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)     For frosting: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.   Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.   Bon Appétit, October 1994   Becky Guyton: West Carrollton, Ohio

this one is a little fancier but has gotten great reviews:

Quote:

ingredients Cake 2 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour (sifted, then measured) 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut 1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts 3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger 3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups finely grated peeled carrots 2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in its own juice, well drained   Frosting 3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar 3/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon (scant) coconut extract   14 whole dry-roasted macadamia nuts 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger preparation For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.   Divide batter among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.   For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then cream of coconut and both extracts. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.   Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange whole nuts and ginger around top edge of cake. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)   Bon Appétit, April 2003

[JaimeLynne]

Thanks Tammy! I think I will start out with the basic one since I don't bake much. Woohoo, James is gonna love it (I hope)!

[Rachelle E.]

Tammy is such a superstar!!

 

I was going to tell you to buy one too! lol! I actually really like the one from cheesecake factory. That being said...it's REALLY tall - no way you could "fake" that you made it! (not that you would ever do that. . .)

[JaimeLynne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwards Tammy is such a superstar!! I was going to tell you to buy one too! lol! I actually really like the one from cheesecake factory. That being said...it's REALLY tall - no way you could "fake" that you made it! (not that you would ever do that. . .)

Hahaha no way!

It is kind of tempting to go buy one. I've never made a cake with more than one layer... But I think I'll try it anyways! I really think it'll mean a lot more to him - he comes from a home where his Mom made everything from scratch and he's been away from there for awhile now. He'll understand if it turns out "off".... right...? haha

[Christine]

good luck, that is a tough one

[Chiquita]

I can't help you with baking one, but I LOVE carrot cake.. yummy!!

[Rachelle E.]

You'll do great! Honestly, the layer thing always seems more complicated than it is. As long as the batter turns out right (meaning you don't forget anything important like baking soda or something) you're pretty much just stacking them on top of each other after that.

 

Two tips for that part:

 

1) make sure to let them cool all the way. Stick them in the fridge or freezer if you need to hurry things along. They'll be more likely to crumble if they're still warm. making them harder to stack and WAY harder to frost! (frosting will get "melty")

 

2) Assuming it's two layers, set the bottom layer on the serving plate (after cooling) and use a knife to level off the top of it. You know how most cakes are a little rounded on the top/middle after baking? If you trim off that "bump" then it makes it easier to get your top layer to stack (and stay put!) properly. I only do this to the bottom layer(s) and leave the top loyer rounded 'cause I think it's pretty that way. Esp on a carrot cake 'cause those usually have nuts and stuff on top. And THEN you can taste test from the little bit you trimmed off - yum!! It doesn't have to be perfectly even but fairly even will help you out in the long run.

 

Hope that made sense!! hard to explain in writing!

[TATrisha]

Good luck! I wish I lived close enough to be your taste tester! I love carrot cake!

[RaydensMama]

Mmm I love Carrott Cake! And I agree, super easy! Good luck!