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A Recipe for Success: Carrot Cake We can’t take a whole lot of credit for this carrot cake, but we can tell you that it’s delicious, impressive, and rather easy. Based on this Alton Brown recipe, it will quickly become your new favorite carrot cake. And with equal parts carrot to flour, it’s almost a health food! (Emphasis on almost.) It took about 3 hours to make, start to finish, making it a perfect Saturday afternoon activity. Ingredients Unsalted butter, for the pans 12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan 12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium (use a food processor if you have one) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 10 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups 2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed 3 large eggs 6 ounces plain yogurt 6 ounces vegetable oil 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside. Put the grated carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour. In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt. With the processor still running, drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Add the raisins and/or walnuts (if using) and stir until just combined. Divide the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F, switch the positions of the pans to ensure even cooking, and bake for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and allow the layers to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the layers out onto a rack and allow to cool completely. After the layers have cooled completely, frost with the cream cheese frosting. Place the first layer on a serving plate, spread an even coat of frosting on top, then place the other layer directly on top of the first layer. Frost the top and all around the side with the remaining frosting. Cream Cheese Frosting: (note: if you like a lot of frosting, or if you want to have extra for snacking on, you’ll want to double this recipe. We made one batch, which was just enough to cover both layers.) 8 ounces cream cheese 2 ounces (1/2 a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition. Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using. Yield: approximately 2 cups

A Recipe for Success: Carrot Cake

We can’t take a whole lot of credit for this carrot cake, but we can tell you that it’s delicious, impressive, and rather easy. Based on this Alton Brown recipe, it will quickly become your new favorite carrot cake. And with equal parts carrot to flour, it’s almost a health food! (Emphasis on almost.) It took about 3 hours to make, start to finish, making it a perfect Saturday afternoon activity.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter, for the pans
  • 12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
  • 12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium (use a food processor if you have one)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
  • 2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 6 ounces plain yogurt
  • 6 ounces vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

Put the grated carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

With the processor still running, drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Add the raisins and/or walnuts (if using) and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F, switch the positions of the pans to ensure even cooking, and bake for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.

Remove the pans from the oven and allow the layers to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the layers out onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

After the layers have cooled completely, frost with the cream cheese frosting. Place the first layer on a serving plate, spread an even coat of frosting on top, then place the other layer directly on top of the first layer. Frost the top and all around the side with the remaining frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

(note: if you like a lot of frosting, or if you want to have extra for snacking on, you’ll want to double this recipe. We made one batch, which was just enough to cover both layers.)

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 ounces (1/2 a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.

Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Yield: approximately 2 cups

Posted on: 02/15/10

Posted in: recipes