Carrot Cake
- Author: Hilah Johnson
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- 2 cups grated carrots (1/2 pound or so)
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola, safflower, sunflower)
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cream Cheese Icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 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.