I love carrot cake! The spices, the textures, the fluffy and super moist cake with chunks of carrots, raisins, pineapple with the optional coconut, pecans or walnuts. You can add whatever you want to it or leave out whatever you want and it will still taste great! The cream cheese buttercream frosting just adds to it’s charm. What’s not to love about it?
My love for carrot cake started when I was a little girl and my mom bought me some at a bakery outlet. The flavors made me feel warm and loved. I have also found that nearly everyone who likes carrot cake has some nostalgic memory associated with it like myself.
Carrot cake is my mother in laws favorite cake. So I made it for her this past week, knowing it was her favorite cake but not knowing the history behind it or why she loved it so much.
She told me that her mother used to make it for her and I could feel the emotions and love she associated with the cake and the love her mother showed her through making carrot cake.
Isn’t it amazing how food can touch out souls and bring back precious memories and feelings. That is what I love about food, it can transport us back in time or to a time when we felt love and connection. I think the warm spices and flavors of carrot cake just innately do that for people.
What you need to make the best carrot cake:
makes 1- 9 inch – 3 layer cake
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup butter – melted
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups shredded carrots – pretty finely grated
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple – minced more with a knife
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Optional add ins:
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, add the milk and pineapple juice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, carrots and crushed pineapple together.
- Add the eggs and mix again.
- In another large bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, followed by the milk and pineapple juice mixture.
- Mix well.
- Fold in the raisins, walnuts, pecans, shredded coconut and any extras you want to add to the cake.
- Grease and flour your pans for an easy release from the pan.
- Divide batter best you can between 3 – 9 inch pans.
- Bake the 3 – 9 inch rounds for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely then frost will cream cheese buttercream frosting and garnish with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Cream cheese buttercream frosting:
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/4 cup softened salted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream – more to thin out the frosting
- 1 – 2 lbs powder sugar – more to thicken the frosting
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and begin mixing on low, while you slowly pour the heavy whipping cream to the mixture.
- Move speed up to high and beat until soft fluffy peaks form. If you desire a color add it along with the whipping cream.
The Best Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup Butter - melted
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups shredded carrots - pretty finely grated
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple - minced more with a knife
- 3 Eggs
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 2 tablespoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Optional add in's
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, add the milk and pineapple juice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, carrots and crushed pineapple together.
- Add the eggs and mix again.
- In another large bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, followed by the milk and pineapple juice mixture.
- Mix well.
- Fold in the raisins, walnuts, pecans, shredded coconut and any extras you want to add to the cake.
- Grease and flour your pans for an easy release from the pan.
- Divide batter best you can between 3 - 9 inch pans.
- Bake the 3 - 9 inch rounds for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely then frost will cream cheese buttercream frosting and garnish with chopped walnuts or pecans.