Classic Carrot Cake by DK on Oct 14, 2010
My quest for that Perfect and THE Best Carrot Cake ends here! I have tried at least 8 carrot cake recipes till date. I know each and everyone of us have a different palate. With that in mind, mine always had some fault or the other to find with the recipes I tried. Ditto for my other half - "Too rich", "Too sweet"," Too crumbly","Is that really a carrot cake? Where is the carrot? ","Wholesome, too healthy tasting (read as "blech") carrot cake", etc etc. You get the idea. Agreed that we dont like too much sweet but some were too saccharine sweet with a generous dollop of overly sweet frosting that one bite, all I wanted was to spit it out pronto! But at last - I hit the nail with this one. I got it from the adorable neighbor I spoke about earlier, who gave me this recipe from this Book called The New Basics. It is everything I wanted a Carrot cake to be.
Moderately sweet , moist with that coconut and nuts combo playing merry in your mouth! Its perfect example of harmony of ingredients. The pineapple is subtle and the carrot never tasted better to me. If you like it more sweet, then this Cream Cheese Frosting is a MUST for you. Its sweet, its rich and its to die for and it works perfectly well with this cake. This makes a generous portion and you can easily halve it. This classic version for once is the BEST tasting too. Don't take my word for it - give it a try. Its very easy to put together. Don't go by the pic cos this cake though not at all photogenic is worth every little crumb and tastes wayyyyyy better than it looks! Yes, appearances can be deceptive indeed :)
- Cook time:
- Prep time:
- Serves: 6 people
- Yields: Makes one 13X9 inch layer cake (about 12 portions)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup corn/vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-1/3 cups pureed cooked carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
- For topping
- Cream cheese frosting, see Tips
- confectioner's sugar for dusting
Tips
1) This recipe can be easily halved
2) Cream Cheese Frosting : Mascarpone Frosting and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting works equally well for this cake.
If you want to Bake using Microwave pls refer to these articles:
1) How to Bake in Microwave
2) How to Bake in Microwave Convection Oven
For making Substitutions please refer my handy chart:
1) Baking substitutions
2) Egg Substitutions
2) Cream Cheese Frosting : Mascarpone Frosting and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting works equally well for this cake.
If you want to Bake using Microwave pls refer to these articles:
1) How to Bake in Microwave
2) How to Bake in Microwave Convection Oven
For making Substitutions please refer my handy chart:
1) Baking substitutions
2) Egg Substitutions
Method
1.
I made my pureed cooked carrots this way. I chopped them into large slices. I think I used about 3-4 thin carrots to make the required amount.
2.
Steamed them until soft - about 8-10 minutes. Dropped them into my food processor
3.
and pureed them.
4.
Preheat Oven to 350F. Take a large bowl and sift the four, sugar, soda and cinnamon together.
5.
Add the oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.
6.
Fold in the carrots, walnuts, coconut and pineapple.
7.
Mix well until it all comes together.
8.
Line a 13X9 inch layer cake pan with waxed paper and grease the paper. Now pour the prepared batter into the pan.
9.
Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven and bake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan
10.
and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Takes about 45 min to 1 hour (depending on your oven)
11.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then turn it over a cake rack and unmold, peeling the wax paper gently. Cool it further for about 1 hour.
Since not everyone likes it with frosting in my house, I made the frosting separately and those who wanted it dolloped it on top of the cake. The frosting does the trick for those with sweet tooth and who like this cake very sweet. You can further dust the top with confectioner's sugar too, if you like.
Filed Under these categories
- 7 All Occasions
- 226 American
- 154 Baking
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- 366 Cuisine
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- 227 Desserts/Sweets
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- 705 Kid Friendly
- 94 Occasions
- 245 Thanksgiving
Recipe Reference
recipe courtesy the new basics
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6 Member Reviews
By Ramya on Dec 31, 2012
very yummy DK! i made this for new year. my hubby loved it! ![\"smiley\"](\"http://chefinyou.com/wp-includes/Text/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.gif\" "\\"smiley\\"")
i topped it with pistachio crumble.
By PastelAffair on Sep 9, 2011
I had been looking for a recipe like this since eveeer.. when i saw the cooked carrots i knew this was the step i was missing on my other trials.. .i absolutely loved it... and so my vegan girlfriend ♥
36 Comments
By sophie on Jan 5, 2014
I want to make this for my 13mo baby girl so can i leave the pineapple and coconut?
By Raji on Dec 7, 2013
Are you sure its 2 tsp of baking soda & not baking powder. I guess 2 tsb of baking soda is too much for the recipe.
By Tiana Gustafson on Nov 25, 2013
Thank you so much for this amazing looking recipe! I love healthy recipes and I will look forward to trying it out and sharing it with my followers at TianaGustafson.com. As Arnold says "I'll be back" :) Thanks again!
By ramya arun on Dec 23, 2012
would it be ok to use fresh pineapple?i don't get canned pineapple here
By nodame on Apr 9, 2012
will the taste and texture be the same if I substituted muscovado sugar instead of the granulated one??
By Bhavna on Mar 19, 2012
Hey. Do prunes and carrots go well? Am looking at using the prunes in my pantry? Both cocunut and pine apple mean more work as they arent readily available at home.. any substitutes that would work well? Also how does one make the following at home - Cream cheese frosting? Apple sauce (read it in another recipe - Apple sauce isnt so commonly available in India)
By irene on Mar 13, 2012
I make this cake and left out the walnuts and coconut, beause my kids don't like them, and i also did not drain the pineapple, the best carrot cake i have ever tasted, thanks for sharing this recepie!!!
By preethi on Nov 11, 2011
The whole cake got burned badly :( I used yogurt instead of eggs. The addition of walnuts made it more bitter.
Is there any way to prevent burning ? Can you suggest alternative lower temperatures/time for baking cakes
Using yogurt will not burn the cake nor will adding walnuts make it bitter (might if the walnuts are way too old!). The Baking temperatures will vary vastly depending on the type of your oven. The only suggestion would be reduce the temperatures a little bit and bake longer. Its all trial and error. Keep checking in regular intervals for the first few times you bake (not too much cos that will delay the cooking time since opening the doors will reduce the temperature in the oven) until you understand your oven
By veena on Aug 26, 2011
Combination of fruits looks interesting !!I am definitely going to try it with some modifications.I think sugar can be easily halved and olive oil can be used.I have been making carrot cake (quite yummy)with only grated carrots (2 cups )and hung curd icing .
By Deepti Pawar on Aug 25, 2011
DK, I am back on a diet. This is down-right evil!! That cream cheese frosting is... is... is.. oh well! I am making this very soon! YUM!
By Earline on Jun 26, 2011
OK....I made this cake and boy was it delicious. I also shared it with two people outside the family and they both said it was the best carrot cake they had ever had...So good that she wants me to make her one. This is definately a "KEEPER"...and I just don't add any recipe to my collection...Make this cake...you will not be sorry!!! :wink:
Thank you so much Earline for the feedback. Appreciate it :) --DK
By MandeR on Apr 13, 2011
@Shannon...if you're looking at actually cutting down on sugar, those alternatives are all completely full of sugar. Palm sugar, agave, etc...
By torviewtoronto on Feb 22, 2011
colourful and flavourful cake looks wonderful
By Shannon on Dec 27, 2010
I see you've answered many questions, but mine has been missed :( So I'll ask again, because I'd really like help with this.
To lower the fat and calories, what could I substitute the oil with? I’d also like to cut down on the sugar, any suggestions for substitutes there? I won’t use any artificial stuff, so looking for natural substitutes.
Thank you again for a wonderful recipe. It is incredibly yummy.
:-P :lol:
You can try honey/agave nectar/Turbindo sugar/Jaggery (palm sugar) for replacing the sugar. Using Pureed fruits - in this carrots will help to replace some of the oil along with reducing the amount of sugar...
By Gilat on Dec 26, 2010
My mother-in-law gave me this recipe even before I became her daughter-in-law, I still have it typed on airmail paper. It is the best! My daughter has requested it for every birthday for the past 20+ years and it has served us well in place of honey cake for Rosh Hashanah (let's mix all our holidays here) and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I always make it in two 9inch round pans and thus have two layers- more surface to spread the icing!
I intend to make your rice pudding for a New Year's party this week- thank you for the delicious photos of each step!
By Shannon on Dec 2, 2010
I made this last week and it's absolutely devine. :-D However, after calculating the calorie content, I'm dismayed as I consumed the whole thing (minus one section) :oops: (not in one sitting, but over the course of a week).
To lower the fat and calories, what could I substitute the oil with? I'd also like to cut down on the sugar, any suggestions for substitutes there? I won't use any artificial stuff, so looking for natural substitutes.
Thanks so much for this recipe, it's yummy, however, my waistline isn't happy with it. :roll:
By Vasugi on Nov 20, 2010
Can i used some other fruit other then coconut? Thank you.
I havent tried anything else myself owing to the fact I love the combo of carrots and coconut - but I dont see any reason why any other fruit might not work (provided it gels wells with the carrot I suppose :) )
By Dipika on Nov 17, 2010
read this again, do u really think 3 eggs can be substituted....? i've read that normally one should not venture beyond subbing 2 eggs... i rarelt try to tweak eggy cakes into egglss.. ur expert inputs appreciated... the more i read this recipe, the more i want to bake it!! :) :-P
By Dipika on Nov 17, 2010
What a gorgeous carrot cake... normally, i have only seen shredded carrots in recipes! this one must be extremely flavourful... intend to bake this soon... just working off all the Diwali fat right now... thank you so much, ur awfully generous in sharing such brilliant recipes! God Bless
By GuruCharan M K on Nov 16, 2010
nice one
By GuruCharan M K on Nov 16, 2010
cool name
it is so classic keep up the good work
By Sanjeeta kk on Nov 3, 2010
Moist and delicious carrot cake, must try it substituting the eggs with curd or flax seeds. Diwali greetings, DK.
By Shirmel on Oct 31, 2010
I made this cake on Saturday, it turned out really well. I made a few changes - wholewheat pastry flour, olive oil and brown sugar. I had to restrain myself from cutting the cake before the 15 minutes cooling period. I preferred the cake completely cold, it tasted a bit too sweet warm. It was very hard not to eat the cake off in one sitting. For the topping I had Greek yogurt. Thank you for all the recipes and for your generosity in sharing them with us. When can we expect a cookery book.
By sheela on Oct 21, 2010
:-wow,wow,wowP
By Shoba Shrinivasan on Oct 19, 2010
You know what? I also have a perennial quest for a good carrot cake...Mine never turns out how I think it should be. As I eat it, I realise how it should NOT be. let me try this one...I was wanting to add a teeny tiny pinch of ginger powder...Aaha!!!
Shobha
By Jessie on Oct 17, 2010
:-P Yumm Yumm surely going to try it out
By RG on Oct 15, 2010
Divya, I love your recipes. I check this site every morning. Carrot cake is my favorite. I tried a couple of carrot cake recipes and unfortunately they were ..... :cry: I want to give this recipe a try and hope/pray that the journey/adventure of finding a fabulous carrot cake ends here :lol: .
I have a question though. Can I use peanut/groundnut oil or EVOO instead of corn or vegetable oil. I would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks RG :) Personally I would not recommend EVOO since it has a flavor of its own and it might hinder with the rest of the ingredients. You would want to use a neutral oil which is flavorless. So vegetable oil is the best and so is corn oil. I think even peanut oil should work since it has no flavor of its own.
By Cherine on Oct 15, 2010
It really looks scrumptious!! I've never tried carrot cakes but I'll follow your recipe whenever i want to! Thanks for sharing!
By Priya on Oct 15, 2010
Scrumptious cake looks super tempting..
By Ameya on Oct 15, 2010
YUM!! I love carrot cake, simple and delicious! It looks so tasty!!
By sudhashrikanth on Oct 14, 2010
could u suggest the best substitute for eggs??........in this recipes?...cos we do not take eggs .
I have already provided for substitutions in the recipe - along with ingredients.
By harini-jaya on Oct 14, 2010
lovely clicks and shall hv to try too..its too tempting to pass on...
By Smitha on Oct 14, 2010
Yeah..I am hoping to try this recipe and end my quest too!!:) looks yums!!
By Divya Vikram on Oct 14, 2010
One of my favorite cakes too. Love the cream cheese combo!
By Nishi on Oct 14, 2010
I guess my quest for the perfect carrot cake ends here as well :) Very nice recipe divya
By Evelyn on Jul 6, 2016