Carrot cake is one of those wholesome desserts that reminds me of farmers’ wives and sweaty milkmaids and healthy brown-skinned farmboys. The sight of a big round carrot cake takes my mind’s eye to the bright kitchen of a big white house in the middle of a sorghum field with a blue sky out the window and a chubby granny making lunch for all the hungry babies and men. I love that in this place where carrot cake takes me, people get cake at lunch. I love it for that.
I also love it for being sweet and spicy and tender . . . and for being covered in tangy cream cheese frosting. I think cream cheese frosting might be my favorite frosting and this one in particular with orange zest and maple syrup is the favorite favorite. I first made this carrot cake recipe over ten years ago and no longer remember where the cake part of the recipe came from. It’s all just written in my 22-year-old-self’s handwriting on a leaf from a legal pad. I do recall being happy with my own addition of the orange and maple to the icing. And I remember my sweet NatNat taking one bite and immediately requesting it to be made for her birthday every year, forever and ever.
- 2 cups grated carrots (1/2 pound or so)
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 1¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil (canola, safflower, sunflower)
- 3 eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Cream Cheese Icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup soft butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, if needed
- For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour (or line with parchment) two 9″ round cake pans or one 13″ x 9″ pan.
- Combine carrots, water, sugar, oil, eggs in a large mixing bowl and combine well.
- Whisk dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture.
- Pour into pan(s). Bake 25 minutes for 9″ pans and 45 minutes for 13 x 9″ pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in pans on wire racks then invert to remove from pans.
- Make icing while cake bakes: Cream cold cream cheese and soft butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla, zest, maple syrup and combine. Sift in powdered sugar a little at a time until it’s all combined and smooth. Add a teaspoon of orange juice if necessary to make it come together. If the icing seems a little soft, just let it sit for a few minutes and it will thicken up. Refrigerate until ready to ice.
- When cake is cooled, ice and serve.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I love me some carrot cake. I think it’s my favorite favorite too. Watch out, Easter! Ima make some Hilah cake!
Yes! You can decorate it to look like a bunny!!!
Thank you for not putting raisins in your cake. They make baby Jesus cry. Non-raisin-ed carrot cake is the best, though!
It is the best, Channing! I love raisins in oatmeal cookies and fruit cake and all kinds of things, but never in carrot cake.
Awesome cake Hilah. Daisy cam is great, more Mr. Banjo!
You got it, Brock!
Just pulled it out of the oven! I halved it and baked it in 9 inch pie crust for Pie Day. I’ll post a picture when it’s finished, but I’m impressed with how nicely half a batch fits into a store bought pie shell.
Cool! Carrot cake pie! Thanks, Anna!
Hi, I’m so excited to make this recipe! I was just wondering what cloves were? Is their any specific type of clove you are talking about? Thanks!
Hi Donald! Cloves are a spice similar in flavor to allspice, if you’ve ever used that. Here’s a description and picture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove
If you can’t find them, use allspice, and if you can’t find either, it will still be good!
Sorry to post another comment but I just took a bite out of the cake and it was AMAZING! Seriously the best carrot cake, ever! I can’t wait to buy your book! I did not have cream cheese in the house to make the icing so I used vanilla icing instead but I’m sure your icing would be amazing! Thanks for all these amazing recipes!
I love carrot cake~~
Me too, Arthur!
Your carrot cake looks so yum!!! I have no choice but to make it today.
I’ve been watching your videos, which are fun and cool. They are so motivating to try the recipe.
Hooray! I hope you loved it, Diana! Thank you for writing.