Carrot Cake

     I LOVE carrot cake! I love carrot cake so much that that was the flavor of my wedding cake. It is so tasty and cozy and fresh all at the same time and on top of that its filled with veggies so its healthy! *wink wink* So, any time I have the opportunity to, I make one. My only problem is I have trouble saving recipes so every time I make it I have to scour the internet for one I like. Usually this is no problem but with carrot cake its a different story. I like to think of carrot cake like chili. Some like theirs spicy and some don't, there's debate about beans and corn like there's debate about raisins and pineapple, and every once in a while you'll find some coconut hidden in there (yes, this applies to both). So, I finally decided to write my own recipe that I find "normal". Obviously if you grew up with nuts in your carrot cake, throw them in there! If you prefer applesauce over sour cream, go for it! I'm not your boss! This recipe isn't supposed to be the end all be all for carrot cakes, I like to think of it as a jumping off point for all your carrot cake dreams. 

    I start off my cake by mixing together my sugars and oil. When those are combined I add in my eggs one at a time. Then, I mix in my sour cream, vanilla, and salt. This is where you can start customizing your carrot cake to be as nostalgic as possible. The main substitution you can make is replacing your sour cream. You can replace it with unsweetened Greek yogurt, applesauce, or even canned pineapple with the water. The pineapple with water will affect the texture of the cake a bit but that’s how some people like their carrot cake best! 

     When that is mixed in I broke out my sifter and dumped in my flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. It is very important to use a sifter when making any type of cake because it will make it fluffier. When there are still flour streaks, I add in my carrots and fold everything together until just barely combined. You can also add in shredded coconuts, walnuts, pecans, raisins, or anything else you want in your cake!

      This is when I divide my batter between two 9-inch cake pans and pop it in the oven until the middle is fully cooked. This can develop a bit of a crust so my favorite way to tell if it’s fully cooked is insert a toothpick. If it comes out crumby or clean I know it’s done but if there is some raw batter on it I add a minute or two to the time. It should only need 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I also have used this recipe to make cupcakes but those only need about 20-25 minutes. 

 

       While my cakes are cooling, I make my frosting by whipping together soft butter and soft cream cheese. Once those are combined I add my powdered sugar and vanilla and whip it once again until it is well combined. That’s it! This frosting is honestly one of my favorites and SO EASY to make. I also use it for my Carrot Cake Cookies and sometimes even my Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls. 

      When my cake rounds are totally cool, I assemble my cake with my cream cheese buttercream. I like to make a “naked” cake where there is just a solid color on the outside and sometimes you can see the cake. However, this year for Easter I tried something new! I used white and green chocolate candy melts, melted them down, and painted it onto cabbage leaves in layers to create chocolate cabbage leaves to decorate my cake with!! I made the mistake of freezing my chocolate (again) so it fell apart a little but when I was trying to assemble but I thought it was super fun and make an amazing (and tasty) centerpiece for our family gathering! 

 What did you think of this recipe? Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave a comment down below!