The Very Best Carrot Cake

THE VERY BEST CARROT CAKE

In my opinion this really is THE best recipe for perfect homestyle carrot cake…and I’ve tried quite a few. It’s simple to make, you don’t even need a mixer, it’s incredibly moist, and has just the right amount of cinnamon.

The very best homestyle carrot layer cake with cream cheese frosting.
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 teaspoons baking soda
2. 2 teaspoons baking powder
3. ½ teaspoon salt
4. 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5. 3 cups (packed) freshly grated carrots
6. 3-4 cups chopped pecans - optional for outside of the cake
7. 4 eggs
8. 1¼ cups vegetable oil
9. 2 cups white sugar
10. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11. 2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. ½ cup butter, softened
2. 8 oz cream cheese, softened
3. 4 cups confectioners sugar
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5. pinch of salt

THE VERY BEST CARROT CAKE

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two round 9" cake pans and set aside. Note: I grease mine well with butter and dust with flour. Give the pans a good bang over the sink to remove any extra flour. You can also line the bottoms of your pans with parchment rounds for extra insurance although I don't usually need to.
2. Peel and grate carrots and set aside. I use a food processor to grate mine fast but you can use a box grater as well. Note: Use freshly grated carrots. Store bought pre-grated carrots are too dry.
3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir into the dry ingredients.
5. Fold in the carrots and divide between the prepared pans.
6. Bake in for 40 minutes rotating pans once during the baking for even rise in both pans. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you are making these a day ahead, allow to cool and wrap each round in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
7. To make the frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in confectioners sugar, salt and vanilla extract until smooth.
8. To frost the cake: Place one cake round on a cake plate. Top with about 1 cup of frosting or as much as you would like, just save enough for the outside of the cake. Top with the second half and apply a thin layer of frosting to the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. Freeze for 30 minutes until firm. Frost with the remaining frosting. If desired, press chopped pecans into frosting around the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.