I’m not normally a sweets person. I can usually pass by any cakes, cookies, candies, etc. Now if we were talking salty, crunchy like chips that would be a whole different story! So when I decided a couple of years ago to stop eating sugar, it wasn’t that difficult of a decision – until my sister-in-law Anita’s carrot cake came along!
I think carrot cake gets a bad rap. There’s too much emphasis on the carrots and you may be thinking you don’t want to eat a cake that tastes like carrots. Isn’t that what a salad is for?!?
I get that, but if you decide to move past that limiting belief and for the next occasion try making this cake, I promise you’ll feel differently!
I made it twice in the past couple of months – once for our bunny Twinkie’s birthday back in July and the other for my daughter’s 17th birthday earlier this month.
Everyone loves it! It’s better than any bakery! Anita was generous enough to share this amazing recipe. I gave you some side notes on how I slightly modified it. Take a look, give it a go and let me know what you think. Wanna win someone over? Make them this cake!!
Here’s the recipe…
Cake Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup oil (not olive)
- 2 cups sugar ( I use less – around 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tsps vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ tsps. Cinnamon
- 2 ½ cups grated carrots
- 1 8-oz can crushed pineapples (drained)
- ½ cup coconut flakes
- 2 cups chopped walnuts (1 cup for the cake batter, 1 cup for the sides)
Icing Ingredients
- 1 stick butter ( I use unsalted because that’s all I ever have)
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese (I use reduced fat – can’t tell the difference!)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Start by making the cake…
Blend eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix separately flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then blend with batter. Add carrots, pineapples. Then add coconut and 1 cup walnuts. Don’t over mix batter. Bake at 350 degrees in 2 greased and floured 9 inch pans between 40-70 minutes. (I use Pam Baking Spray and use 8 inch round pans) Cake should pull away from the sides and center should spring back.
When the cake goes in the oven, start making the icing!
Mix all icing ingredients together in a mixer. Chill in the fridge until ready to use
After the cake has completely cooled it’s time for icing!
To Frost The Cake
- Level out the bottom cake layer by carefully slicing off the rounded top. This will make it easier for the top layer to stay put.
- Frost the top of the bottom layer
- Place the top layer on top of the bottom layer
- Start frosting the whole cake from the top using an offset spatula or butter knife. Let the icing flow off the sides to easily frost the sides of the cake.
- Carefully tilt the cake and sprinkle the chopped walnuts on the sides and if there’s any leftover, make a circle of walnuts on the top
- Refrigerate to let the icing set.
- Slice, eat and enjoy!
If there’s leftover icing, you can spread it on your slice of cake so you can get icing in each bite!
What’s your favorite kind of cake? Are you a sweets person or more of a salty crunchy type like me?
Leave a Reply