The Prospects Carrot Cake Recipes

EASY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature.

THE BEST CARROT CAKE RECIPE EVER!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x9 inch pans (or a 9x13 inch pan) In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In a medium sized bowl whisk together vegetable oil, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and combine.
• Fold in the carrots and chopped pecans. Divide the batter evenly into the baking dishes. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of one 13x9-inch pan or two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed about 30 seconds or until blended. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt; beat on low speed 1 minute. Stir in carrots and nuts. Pour into pan(s).
• Bake 13x9-inch pan 40 to 45 minutes, round pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangle in pan on cooling rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Frost 13x9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers with frosting. Sprinkle nutmeg on frosted cake, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

INCREDIBLY MOIST AND EASY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and then grease the top. Or grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C).
• Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until very well blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each one.
• Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
• Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
• Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Cool cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the cake layers out onto cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper and cool completely. If you find that a cake layer is sticking to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
• Beat in the powdered sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time, until fluffy.
• Pour in the whipping cream. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the frosting is whipped and creamy. This frosting resembles the texture of whipped cream. Chill covered until ready to frost the cake.
• When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer, and place the second cake layer on top.
• Add the remaining frosting to the top of the carrot cake and use a butter knife or small spatula to swirl the frosting around. Leave the sides of the cake unfrosted. Finish with a handful of nuts on top.

BETTER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 8" or 9" round cake pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour the pans. (see note 1).
• Place the currants in a small bowl and pour enough hot water over to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes to plump. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
• Mix the oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar until it resembles applesauce. Add the eggs, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix until the batter is smooth and emulsified (see photo).
• Add the ground carrots and the walnuts. Drain the water from the currents and add them to the batter. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, scraping the bowl in between. Mix until completely combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. If you bake 2 layers they may take a little longer to bake.
• Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and cool completely (see note 2)
• Set aside half the frosting to ice the cake. Place one cake layer, flat side down, on the serving platter. Spread 1/2 of the remaining frosting over the layer. Repeat with the 2nd layer. Place the third layer, flat side up, on top.
• Ice the cake with a very thin layer of frosting. This is called the "crumb coat". Refrigerate the cake to set the crumb coat.
• Ice the cake with a final coating. Press ground walnuts onto the sides of the cake. Chill to set the cake. (see note 3).

THE PROSPECT'S CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Combine oil and sugar in a bowl: beat well. Sift together dry ingredients.
• Sift half the dry ingredients into sugar mixture; blend well.
• Sift in remaining dry ingredients, alternation with eggs; mix
• well, after each addition.
• Stir in carrots, pecans and raisins.
• Pour into lightly oiled 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake in preheated 325 degree
• oven about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Cool upright in pan.
• To make filling.
• Combine sugar and flour in small heavy saucepan.
• Gradually stir in cream.
• Add butter and salt.
• Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture come to just a simmer.
• (This may take 30 minutes.) Let simmer 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
• Stir in nuts and vanilla.
• Cool completely, ideally overnight (I just make sure it is cold-put in fridge for a while).
• To make frosting, toast coconut at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes or
• until lightly browned.
• Cool.
• Combine cream cheese and butter in food processor or mixer.
• Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla and mix until perfectly smooth.
• Refrigerate if too soft to spread immediately.
• To assemble, split cooled cake into 3 layers.
• Spread pecan filling between layers. Reassemble on cake plate and frost top and sides with frosting.
• Pat toasted coconut onto sides of cake.

EASY CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and the nutmeg until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
• Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt with a handheld mixer on medium speed until very creamy, about 2 minutes.
• For the creamiest frosting, sift the powdered sugar or whisk until most large lumps are gone.
• Beat in the powdered sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time until fluffy. For a thicker frosting, add an additional 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
• To make spiced frosting, beat in a pinch of ground cinnamon or cardamom.
• Frost cooled cupcakes and if you'd like top with coarsely chopped pecans.
• Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.