Arguably one of America’s favorite cakes. Wether as cupcakes, jelly rolls, one layer or 12, this American classic has become a global phenomenon, in an incarnation.
I’m delighted to share my decadent take on this beloved cake, and I hope it becomes your go to fir any occasion.
Grate 3 cups fresh carrots 
The Carrot Cake Batter 
Use a scale to weigh batter for even layers 
Tap pans on the counter to release air bubbles 
If a skewer or toothpick come out clean, it’s ready 
Even rise 
Cool in pans on a rack 15 minutes 
Allow butter & cream cheese come to room temperature 
Gradually add confectioners sugar 
Whip buttercream until light & fluffy 
Light & fluffy buttercream 
Spread buttercream from the center out 
Dollop buttercream in center 
Grease, line, and flour sides 
Ice the top 
Smooth sides of cake 
Smooth edges inward with offset spatula 
The star tip for scalloped border 
Thoroughly blend colour 
Gently press finely chopped walnuts into sides 
Use a toothpick to add colour concentrate 
Carefully place cake on cake drum or cake stand 
Add a scalloped border 
Buttercream carrot roots 
Hold the ‘leaf’ tip vertically 
Pipe on carrot in a ‘ball’ shape 
Start carrot top, wiggling out 
The Carrot Cake
3-Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream
This show-stopper, is grand. A tall cake, moist & decadent, and packed with fruit, this classic is beyond incredible, and will quickly become a favorite when you want to impress. See ‘Notes’ below for cupcakes
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 12-16slices | 20mins |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 35mins | 5hrs |
|
|
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Batter
- 3cups all-purpose flourplus more for dusting pans
- 1cup baker’s sugar(superfine)
- 1cup light brown sugarpacked
- 1/2tsp kosher salt
- 2tsp baking soda
- 1-1/2tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggslightly beaten
- 1-1/2cups vegetable oil
- 1-1/2tsp vanilla extract
- 2cups crushed pineapplewith juice (2-8oz cans, undrained)
- 3cups shredded carrots
- 1cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1cup sultanas
- 1cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2cup sweetened flaked coconutpacked
- Vegetable shorteningfor greasing pans
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 24oz cream cheesesoftened (3-8oz packs)
- 12oz salted buttersoftened (1-1/2 cups)
- 48oz confectioners sugar3-16oz boxes
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1-1/2cup walnutsfinely chopped
Instructions
To Prepare Cake Batter:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit (176 celsius). Position rack in the center of the oven.
- Grease bottom & sides of three 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line bottoms with parchment rounds, dust sides with flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baker’s sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until cinnamon is visibly disbursed throughout.
- Add brown sugar, mix until combined.
- Add beaten eggs and vegetable oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Stir in vanilla extract, pineapple, shredded carrots, applesauce, chopped walnuts, and sultanas. Mix with on MED speed until well combined, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl in-between mixing.
- Divide batter into three 9-inch greased & floured cake pans.
- Bake on the center rack in a preheated 350 degrees oven (with fan) for 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.
- Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Wrap cakes with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator 1 hour to overnight.
To Prepare Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- In a stand mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-low speed until smooth. Scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Stir in vanilla extract. (This recipe uses salted butter, if using unsalted, add 1/2 tsp salt here)
- Gradually add confectioners sugar, mixing on low speed until blended after each addition.
- Remove the paddle and bowl from mixer, and scrape the paddle, and bottom & sides of the bowl to loosen any confectioners sugar that may be on the bottom.
- Return bowl & paddle to the stand mixer.
- Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
To Assemble Cake:
- Place 1 chilled Cake Layer top down on a 9-inch cardboard cake round; gently peel off parchment paper, top center with 1 cup of cream cheese buttercream, and other an offset spatula or dinner knife, spread from center-out to the edge of the cake.
- Repeat with second layer.
- Top with third layer as before, now spreading the buttercream on the sides of the cake from the bottom in an upwards motion to the top, filling any spaces between layers as you go.
- Top with 1 cup of the buttercream, again, spreading from the center out.
- Using a cake smoother or pastry scraper, hold the smoother vertical against the side of the cake, and slowly turn the cake to smooth the sides.
- Press chopped walnuts into the sides of the cake to cover the sides.
- Fill piping bag fitted with a medium-sized star tip (I use the Wilton 1M tip) with 1-1/2 cups of cream cheese buttercream.
- Pipe a scallop border around the border on top of the cake, by holding the tip at a 45 degree angle on the surface of the cake, and gently squeezing the bag in an upwards motion, then down, releasing pressure, and pulling to a tip (tail), in a wave shape. Repeat around the border of the cake. Serves 12-16
Optional - To Make Buttercream ‘Carrot’ Decorations,
- In a small bowl, mix 2/3 cup buttercream with a very small amount of orange food colour, or equal amounts of red & yellow to achieve desired colour. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium-small round tip (I use the Wilton 1A tip) with the orange buttercream.
- In another small bowl, mix 1/4 cup buttercream with a very small amount of ‘Kelly’ green food colour to achieve desired shade. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a ‘leaf” tip (I use the Ateco 352 tip) with the green buttercream.
- Select on the top of the cake where you wish to pipe the carrots, I do six equally around the top, pointing towards the center. Pipe 12 or 16 if you prefer a carrot on each slice of cake.
- Holding the tip at a 45 degree angle against the inside of the scalloped border, gently squeeze piping bag to for a little ball, stop, press one more ball, release pressure, and pull into a point (tail) towards the center to creat a 1-1/2 inch baby carrot. Each little ball represents the ridges of an actual carrot. Repeat.
- For the ‘carrot top’, hold the green buttercream-filled pastry bag’s leaf tip at a 45 degree angle on the top of the bulbous end of the carrot, gently squeeze bag while pulling back towards the scalloped border in a ‘wiggling’ motion, releasing pressure and pulling out to a tip.
Recipe Notes
Cupcakes & Mini Cupcakes
This recipe makes 3 dozen (36) full-size cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 1/4 inch from the top, bake 25 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a cupcake.
Mini Cupcakes
Mini 2-inch White Gold-Lined Cupcake Liner
Makes 80 mini 2” cupcakes. I use these gold-lined mini cupcake liners (they are available in pink, sky blue, brown, and white - as pictured above). They are ridged, and stand on their own, without any need for mini cupcakes tins; simply fill them with cake batter 1/4 inch from the top, place on a baking sheet pan (takes two sheet pans, 40 each), and bake in at 350 degrees, for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a cupcake.
Recipe Variations & Substitutes
Golden raisins are a perfect substitute for sultanas.
Try chopped pecans instead of walnuts, or a combination of both!
Try adding 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger root to the batter to add a warm touch of spice.
Comment Form