Classic Carrot Cake
This is a well loved family recipe with nostalgia attached to it. Many Sunday evenings were spent with family eating dinner followed by this dessert. Our aunt always wanted to put walnuts inside, but the rest of us didn’t let her… let us know below if you would pick with or without walnuts!
This could be the perfect recipe for your Easter weekend dessert!
Serves: 16-20 Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: 35-40 mins, Icing Time: 10 mins, Total time: 1 hr
Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 c brown or white sugar
3/4 c grapeseed oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
pinch of salt
3 c shredded carrots
1/2 c chopped walnuts, if desired
Icing
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange juice or zest (can also sub lemon)
icing sugar to consistency (start with 1/2 cup)
Directions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350.
Shred 3 cups of carrots. You can be on the generous side.
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl or measuring cup. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry, being careful not to overmix. Stir in the carrots and walnuts, if desired.
Pour into a greased bundt cake pan. You can also use a 9x13 glass dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
Icing
Whip 1 cup of whipped cream until light, and airy.
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and orange juice. Sift in of icing sugar. Start with 1/2 cup and add more to desired consistency/taste. Beat. Fold in the whipped cream.
Once cake has cooled slightly, gently remove from the pan onto a wire rack. When mostly or all the way cool, cut in half horizontally. Ice the middle with 1/4 of the icing. Place the top half of the cake back on top. Then spread the remaining icing over the entire surface of the cake.
Slice and serve immediately, or cover and store in the fridge for several days.
Enjoy!
Recipe Source:
Liz Schuit
Photos property of Hofstede’s Country Barn.