Try this Homemade Carrot Cake recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 c raisins
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 c (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 1/4 c grated carrots
- 1 c roughly chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 3/4 c (352g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 c (250g) vegetable oil
- 1/2 c pineapple (can be from a can or freshly diced)
- Carbohydrate 13.6319233425369 g
- Cholesterol 52.875 mg
- Fat 1.3687233333868 g
- Fiber 1.41084998893035 g
- Protein 2.23511500035684 g
- Saturated Fat 0.405725000006742 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (51g)
- Sodium 180.958333334612 mg
- Sugar 12.2210733536065 g
- Trans Fat 0.271347666703165 g
- Calories 70 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare two 8-inch round baking pans. (Can also do three 7-inch round cake pans) Butter pans generously or spray with baking spray.
- Beat the sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in mixer until it is a light yellow, about 3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. (Double sifting is recommended)
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly and gently add in the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined. (Can also mix by hand!)
- Remove bowl from mixer and fold raisins, nuts, carrots, and pineapple.
- Divide the batter equally between the pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. A few crumbs are what you want for a MOIST cake!
- Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cover in cream cheese frosting.
Bakers frequently ruin carrot cake by over-mixing the batter once the flour goes into the bowl, which develops gluten and results in a tough, dense crumb. Room temperature eggs emulsify rapidly with oil and sugar, trapping air that helps leaven the heavy batter without requiring extra chemical agents. Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and pure vanilla extract together for a full three minutes until the mixture turns pale yellow and thickens slightly. Sift the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt together twice to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices through the dense dry matrix. Fold the grated carrots, raisins, roughly chopped walnuts, and diced pineapple in by hand with a rubber spatula to prevent crushing the delicate structure and to avoid over-working the gluten. Divide the batter evenly between two buttered eight-inch round baking pans and place them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Monitor the bake closely between 55 and 60 minutes, withdrawing the pans when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges with a few moist crumbs clinging to it rather than wet batter. Allow the layers to cool completely on a wire rack before applying any cream cheese frosting, since residual heat melts dairy fats instantly. Fully frosted layers can be frozen for up to one month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
