Carrot cake is one of my family’s favorite desserts. My brother and I had a competition going for a while, but I’ve deferred to him for the annual Thanksgiving carrot cake. But, that doesn’t keep me from making it for family celebrations at other times. My recipe is a combination of 2 recipes from Lovin’ Spoonful which is a cookbook from the Catholic Women’s Association, St. Michaels’s Catholic Church. Auburn, AL that was published in 1975.
Notes
If I make a 3 or 4 layer carrot cake, I double the icing recipe. But then I have extras! What to do? Make a second carrot cake recipe and make it into cupcakes or a sheet cake and use the rest of the icing on that.
The other idea is to make 2 layers, split them and make a 4 layer cake. That uses a bit more icing
Or, just be decadent and eat it like fudge.
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil (I use coconut oil)
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 c. flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 3 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3 c. raw carrots, grated (I don't measure, but I grate up about 1lb of carrots)
- 4 Tbsp. hot water
- -----------------------------
- For the icing:
- 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
- 1/4 c.butter
- 1 (1 lb.) box confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. chopped nuts (pecans)
Instructions
Cake:
- Blend sugar and oil. Add eggs. Beat well. Add hot water.
- Sift dry ingredients. Add to sugar-egg mixture. Beat well.
- Stir in grated carrots.
- Pour into 2 or 3 (9-inch) or a 9x13" greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350?F for 25 to 35 minutes.
- Cool cakes and stack with frosting.
Icing:
- Work cheese until soft. Add softened butter. Beat in sugar gradually. Add flavoring ana nuts. Mix and spread.
This recipe works well in a 13×9 cake pan as well. Just bake a bit longer. It can tolerate more carrots, too.
Yep… the carrot amount is a starting point! My folks love a layer cake so that’s how we do it