Carrot cake is said to have originated from carrot pudding made during the medieval period when carrots were used as sweeteners in Britain. It was in the early 1900s that the pudding began being baked in loaf pans similar to quick-bread. The recipe most likely came to the United States following World War II and it quickly spread through the country on menus in cafeterias and restaurants. It became increasingly popular during the 1970s when it was perceived as being healthy. Since then, carrot cake's iconic allure and its winning combination of sweet flavors and tangy cream cheese frosting have made it a classic American dessert, so much so that February 3 is recognized as National Carrot Cake Day.
Recipe Servings: 12
+ 23 hours resting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- 1 cup pineapple bits, drained
- 1 cup carrot, cooked and mashed
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, cold
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch springform pans.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a mixing bowl.
- Add oil, vanilla, and egg. Mix well.
- Fold in walnuts, coconut, pineapple, and carrot.
- Pour batter into cake pans.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick emerges clean from the center.
- Cool the cake layers for 2–3 hours on wire rack before frosting.
- Beat cream cheese with butter until it is smooth (do not over-beat).
- Stir in sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.
- Spread a layer of frosting on one of the cake layers.
- Place second layer on top of first and spread remaining frosting evenly on sides and top of cake.
- Chill until serving.
For Cake:
For Frosting:
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