The best carrot cake I have ever had
- Carbohydrate 88.4768603037266 g
- Cholesterol 182.035483606667 mg
- Fat 44.1626061358952 g
- Fiber 2.96455150174131 g
- Protein 10.2996492105264 g
- Saturated Fat 11.8778000386317 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (253g)
- Sodium 10613.2981043888 mg
- Sugar 85.5123088019853 g
- Trans Fat 2.6468916813486 g
- Calories 779 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine oil, sugar and eggs.
- Sift dry ingredients and add.
- Beat well.
- Mix in vanilla and carrots.
- Bake in 3 well-greased and floured 8" pans at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Let cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
- For frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well.
Bakers frequently ruin carrot cake by buying pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store. Those thick, dry matchsticks contain virtually no internal moisture and fail to break down during baking, resulting in a rubbery texture rather than a tender crumb. Grating whole carrots manually on a box grater yields fine shreds that release their natural sugars and moisture directly into the batter.
Fat selection also dictates the final mouthfeel. Utilizing a combination of vegetable oil and butter provides both the enduring moisture characteristic of liquid fats and the structural richness of solid fats. Sifting flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together removes lumps and ensures even distribution of the leavening agent, preventing pockets of metallic-tasting soda. When combining the wet and dry components, mix only until incorporated. Overworking the flour develops gluten networks that turn a delicate sponge into a dense, heavy loaf.
Baking requires three well-greased and floured eight-inch pans filled evenly to distribute heat quickly. Operating the oven at 325 degrees prevents the exterior from burning before the center sets. Letting the layers rest inside the pans for precisely ten minutes allows the structure to firm up enough for inversion without breaking. Completely cooling the cake on wire racks prior to frosting prevents the residual heat from melting the butter and cream cheese emulsion, which would cause the frosting to slide off the sides.
Altering the fat ratio by removing oil entirely will yield a dry cake, as butter contains water that evaporates during baking whereas oil remains liquid at room temperature. Optional chopped nuts provide a crisp contrast to the soft crumb, though omitting them changes only the texture without requiring adjustments to the flour or liquid measurements.
