Carrot cake is one of those baking oddities. A savory vegetable in a sweet baked good? Who thought up this ingenious cake? (Apparently, it is from medieval times.)
Finding a recipe that isn’t too light, like a chiffon, or too heavy, like a torte, is tricky. Fortunately, Marlene, a family friend, is a cake wizard!
Below is her recipe for the perfect carrot cake! She uses it when people want carrot cake for their weddings or receptions.
Since I often wonder about what carrot cake really is and where it came from, check out “What is This Thing Called Love” sung by Ella Fitzgerald.
Marlene’s Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 15-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup flake coconut (Baker’s® Angel Flake®)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 cups baby carrots, finely grated in food processor
- 8-ounce cream cheese
- ½ cup Land O' Lakes® butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tablespoon half and half
- 3 cups powdered sugar
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Instructions
- Whip together the eggs and sugar in a mixer until light colored.
- Add oil and pineapple and mix well.
- Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Add to wet mixture and mix on low setting of mixer.
- Add coconut, pecans, and carrots. Mix until combined.
- Set oven at 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with Pam®. Pour cake batter into pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until springs back to the touch. Do not over bake.
- You can divide the batter between the 9x13-inch pan and a round 9-inch pan if you want the cake to be thinner.
- Let cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature. Whip together in mixer. Add vanilla, half and half, and 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar. If too runny, add the remaining powdered sugar.
- Frost cake when it is cool.
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