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THE WORLD'S BEST CARROT CAKE 
Made with all the special things you like in such a cake, this moist treat is one divine way to eat carrots.

Our luscious carrot cake has the long-lasting moistness of a buttermilk cake and the fiber-rich texture of whole wheat. Its rich combination of spices, fruit and nuts is perfectly complimented by the buttery cream cheese frosting. We think you'll definitely agree that it's The World's Best Carrot Cake.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (1 lb.) bag carrots, peeled and grated
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine sugars, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended. Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and raisins, stirring just until well blended.

Grease 3 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms with circles of parchment or waxed paper; grease and flour paper. Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; loosen cake layers from edges of pans with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and cool completely.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. vanilla extract
chopped nuts (for sprinkling - optional)

Combine butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add sugar, orange rind and vanilla, mixing well.

Makes enough frosting for 1 (3 layer) cake.

After the cake has been frosted, the top can be decorated with chopped nuts.

Submitted by: CM

recipe reviews
The World's Best Carrot Cake
   #185499
 Dan (California) says:
This is truly the World's Best Carrot Cake recipe. I have been making this recipe for many years now. And I am a carrot cake snob. I make this recipe as written, pretty much. My only deviation is that I soak my raisins and coconut in dark rum overnight. I weighed the fluffed/shifted measured flour and the weights are as follows: 1.5 cups whole wheat flour = 184 grams, 2/3 cups all-purpose flour = 77 grams. Sometimes I make it with lemon zest cream cheese icing, sometimes orange zest, sometimes no icing. Sometimes I put roasted almonds on the side after icing.
   #191201
 LostClusters (Wisconsin) says:
I am a carrot cake nut,seriously. I have had many many may spice cakes with carrots called carrot cakes. Some were OK to good. None were even close to this one. This is truly deserving the title worlds best. I've been making this recipe for years now.

Next level tweaks:
Soak raisins in cognac/brandy/bourbon/rum... overnight to a week.
Add pistachio's in place of half of the walnuts.
Add lemon juice and or lemon zest to the frosting.

 

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