Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
My grandma made this for us growing up, and I got the recipe from her. This will be the best carrot cake you ever eat.
My grandma made this for us growing up, and I got the recipe from her. This will be the best carrot cake you ever eat.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- frosting:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups carrots grated
- 1 can crushed pineapple undrained
- 1 box confectioners' sugar
- 8 oz philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
- 0.25 cup butter or margarine softened
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 mix until smooth
- Carbohydrate 694.49211036036 g
- Cholesterol 2185.72 mg
- Fat 4917.60861099099 g
- Fiber 21.2323666382631 g
- Protein 99.8685633333333 g
- Saturated Fat 461.607662198198 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (6669g)
- Sodium 5422.19790990991 mg
- Sugar 673.259743722097 g
- Trans Fat 82.7446141801808 g
- Calories 46626 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine first 6 ingredients in mixing bowl, mixing well.
- Add oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple and vanilla, mixing well
- Pour batter into 3 greased (spray pans with Pam) 8-inch round cake pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
- mix until smooth
Carrot cake is structurally superior on the second day because the moisture from the grated root vegetables and crushed pineapple has had sufficient hours to fully hydrate the crumb without dissolving the crumb structure. Baking this pastry requires careful attention to thermal management, specifically ensuring that ovens are properly preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit so the leavening agents react in concert with the dense batter.
- Grate whole root vegetables manually using the medium holes of a box grater rather than purchasing pre-shredded bags, since pre-cut pieces are too dry and fail to release the internal moisture needed for a tender crumb.
- Drain the crushed pineapple only slightly if the fruit appears excessively juicy, but retain some liquid to supply natural acidity that activates the baking soda effectively.
- Soften the cream cheese and butter to exactly 65 degrees Fahrenheit before beating them with confectioners' sugar to prevent a grainy or separated frosting texture.
- Store frosted portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, bringing slices to room temperature for thirty minutes before serving to soften the fats.
- Wrap unfrosted baked layers tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil for long-term storage in the freezer for up to two months.
Allowing the layers to cool completely on wire racks before applying any dairy-based topping prevents the butter and cheese from melting into an unappealing puddle. Proper temperature control during the cooling phase preserves the integrity of the crumb and ensures clean slices.
