Carrot cake is one of the most popular desserts in England and the United States. This recipe became popular during World War II, when sugar rationing forced the need to find alternative ways to sweeten desserts. Despite being conceived as a temporary solution, this cake proved so delicious that by the 1960s it could be found in every restaurant and bakery.
Carrot cake is more like a sponge cake than a tart, as it has a spongy texture. The grated carrot makes the pastry moist and juicy, turning this cake into a creamy and decadent dessert. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and nuts add the unmistakable spicy touch of this famous cake.
Carrot cake is always served with frosting. This frosting adds sweetness and also prevents the cake from drying out. The most popular frosting is cream cheese frosting, although it's also common to serve it with vanilla or buttercream frosting. Since we don't like overly sweet desserts, we prefer cream cheese frosting, which pairs perfectly with the carrot, providing a slight acidity.
If you want to prepare a cake with two or more layers, you can do it in two ways:
- Dividing the dough into several molds of the same size
- Baking the dough in a single pan and cutting the cake into layers once baked.
If you want a cake with three or more layers, it's best to get several small pans to ensure all the layers are the same size. If you only want two, it's easier to make a single cake and cut it with a serrated knife once it's completely cooled.
This Carrot Cake is perfect for any occasion, but it's so delicious that we usually reserve it for special occasions, like birthdays and family celebrations. Thanks to its spicy flavor, it's also perfect for celebrating Christmas.
Don't wait any longer and learn how to make the best cake you've ever tasted!
Index
- 1 Necessary ingredients
- 2 Steps to prepare a Carrot cake
- 3 How long does the cake last?
- 4 Can Carrot Cake be frozen?
- 5 I'm not much of a frosting person. What alternatives are there?
- 6 Alternative Toppings
- 7 How to keep carrots in shape
- 8 Ingredients
- 9 Instructions
Necessary ingredients
Steps to prepare a Carrot cake
This is the most tedious part of the preparation. If you want to save time, you can leave the carrots unpeeled. And if you want to save a LOT of time, you can buy pre-shredded salad carrots.
〉We do not recommend mixing it in a mixer or food processor because it is a large amount of dough and very thick, so it does not usually mix well.
〉To line a mold, first pass a paper coated in oil or butter and then sprinkle the surface with flour.
After that time, check if it's cooked through by inserting a thin knife. If the knife comes out with raw dough stuck to it, it still needs a little bit of cooking. In that case, cook it for 10 more minutes and check again. However, it's a fairly moist cake, so don't wait for the knife to come out completely clean, or it will end up dry.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, a squeeze of lemon, and half the sugar. Add these ingredients and gradually add sugar until you find the sweetness you like. The level of sweetness is very individual, so you may end up using more or less sugar. Store in the refrigerator.
Placing the cake on a rotating tray makes the process easier because it helps you cut at the same height along the entire perimeter, but it is not essential.
Once cut, separate the top part by placing your hands underneath or using a spatula.
〉To make sure it is level, you can find the center line and mark it with toothpicks along the entire contour or mark the line by eye with the knife and turn it little by little until you find the other side.
Add 4 or 5 tablespoons of frosting and carefully spread it over the cake base. It's best to leave a 1 cm margin around the outer edge to prevent the frosting from spilling over when placing the cake on top. If you like, now's the time to add chocolate chunks, nuts, or any other toppings you'd like to tuck in between.
Add 4 or 5 more tablespoons on top and spread them with the spatula.
〉This frosting recipe does not contain butter: which infinitely improves its flavor but takes away structure, so it is not ideal for covering an entire cake or making decorations with a pastry bag.
〉This cake is even more delicious the next day so don't be afraid to make it in advance and leave it in the fridge overnight.
How long does the cake last?
This is one of those recipes that's much better the next day. As the hours pass, the frosting soaks into the cake, leaving it moist and flavorful, so we recommend preparing it a day in advance. However, it's necessary to store it in the refrigerator to prevent the cream cheese from spoiling. The good thing is that the frosting itself protects the cake from drying out, keeping it fresh for many more days. We recommend keeping it for no more than a week, but honestly, we wouldn't know what to tell you since it never lasts more than two days.
Can Carrot Cake be frozen?
Yes, you can, and it turns out great! It's best to freeze it already divided, wrapping each half tightly in plastic wrap. The day before serving, remove it from the freezer, unwrap it, and let it thaw slowly on a paper towel. Once thawed, add the frosting and decorations as you normally would.
I'm not much of a frosting person. What alternatives are there?
We're not big frosting fans either, but we promise this one is different. We started by eliminating the butter because it made it too heavy and greasy. Then we reduced the sugar because it seemed too sweet, and ended by adding a squeeze of lemon to enhance the flavor with a touch of acidity.
But if you don't want to give it a try, you can opt for whipped cream, Italian meringue, or lemon glaze.
Alternative toppings
You can really go crazy here. We like to add dark chocolate chunks because it contrasts beautifully with the carrots, coconut, and nuts, but you don't have to be so minimalist. You can try white chocolate, desiccated coconut, crunchy almonds, fresh fruit... just thinking about it makes our mouths water.
How to keep carrots in shape
To ensure the carrot strips hold their shape, the key is to keep them in cold water. We rolled them into spirals and placed them against each other in a bowl filled with ice water for 10 minutes. When removed, the strips retain their rolled shape and are much easier to decorate.
Servings 12
- Amount per serving
- % Daily Value *
- Saturated Fat 11.6 g58 %
- Fiber 3 g12 %
- Sugars 56.8 g
- Calcium 55 %
- Iron 3 %
- Vitamin D 5 %
*Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
