Let’s pretend Easter hasn’t passed and you’re still dying to make carrot cake. It’s not that unlikely of a scenario. Maybe you just really like carrot cake.
In fact, I didn’t make this carrot cake for Easter. I made it before Easter, for a dear friend and (former!) co-worker’s going away party. Said friend was on what I refer to as “the Jesus diet” and had given up all sweets for Lent. However, said friend was caught red-handed sneaking a confection or two during the Lenten season. Said friend’s excuse was, “but I only cheat when they’re your desserts!”
I see where this is going. Bring the sinner to hell with you. I did make steak on Good Friday.
My friend Steph’s last day of work happened to fall a week before her Jesus diet ended. I found myself in a pickle. As the resident baker in the office, I knew a dessert would be expected for her send-off. But what dessert to make for a “farewell party,” if not cake? We couldn’t exactly bid her adieu over a bowl of fruit salad.
And for the record, fruit salad is not dessert.
Ever.
Call me an enabler, but I played the “what if” game, asking Steph if she would cheat if I hypothetically made her a cake, and if so, what kind of hypothetical cake would she want? She had recently mentioned that she adored carrot cake, so I decided to give it a try. The pressure was on. I needed to make her a cake worth repenting for.
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
-
4 eggs
-
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.
Note the label! A gift from my best gal, Chelsea!
I had never tasted carrot cake until I made it myself. Strange, I know. When you consider that it is traditionally served with a cream cheese frosting, you’ll understand. I had no idea what to expect. With an open mind and a fork, I dug in.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the carrot cake was bursting with flavor: sweet and slightly spicy, a cake unlike any other I’d tried. Moist and dense, it was more similar in texture to a quick bread than a cake, and the pecans added a subtle crunch. It reminded me of a “comfort food” dessert- a nostalgic dessert that would transport you to your grandmother’s dining room table. I quickly understood why carrot cake has stood the test of time as a classic. This treat got rave reviews around the office. I’m not sure if people came to say good-bye to my co-worker, or because they heard there was carrot cake.
The good news is that Steph confessed her sins and had to say a few Hail Marys in return. She is back in The Big Guy’s good graces, and says the cake was totally worth the penance.
I don’t need any holiday as an excuse to make cream cheese icing:-)
You’ve never had carrot cake before?!! Omg girl. Your life just changed, huh! Cream cheese frosting and carrot cake is THE BEST!
Nice way to break the fast! So glad you love carrot cake – this looks perfectly moist. Poor co-worker. =)
Carrot cake was our wedding cake!! Just something to consider for your Big Day if you love it! Actually, we did carrot cake cupcakes
Silver Palate is my classic recipe- this looks awesome, too!
Yum!! I looove carrot cake! I’ve never actually made it myself, better add it to my list!
I’m with you–fruit salad is so not dessert…even if eaten with whipped cream!
Carrot cake is another story–LOVE the stuff but haven’t made it in years…thanks for the reminder! 
HUGE lol. my hubby loves carrotcake anytime! It doesnt have to be EAster for us!
My hubby is catholic, and I am not, so just about every Friday while he is enjoying his Tuna, here I am eating a burger!
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting doesn’t require a holiday for making… or eating!
Yum……I am on the Caveman diet now……just meat….ohhhh how good this looks….I’ll have to look away and make it when I reach my goal!
Thanks for sharing!
I am honored I made the blog! The cake was amazing and absolutely worth going to hell for! At least I know you were be there with me! Seriously missing you baked goods… oh and you too. On the bright side.. I may drop a few lbs at Merrill.
Steak on Good Friday? Just my kinda girl!
This cake looks delicious! Yumyumyum…
I love carrot cake. It has been so long since I had it. It looks great.
Mmm… I’m glad everyone enjoyed it
Carrot cake is one of my favoritest cakes. My Annabelle Carrot Cupcakes (http://bit.ly/gOr2em) have also been a hit, too!
Love carrot cake! Looks delicious!
Your carrot cake looks fantastically moist and delicious! And your little present of vanilla made me want to try my hand at making my own very soon!
One of my all time favorite cakes, but I have never made it! I am saving this for when I do, and I think it might be soon…… that looks really good!
What a beautiful-looking carrot cake!!
It looks gorgeous my dear! I haven’t had carrot cake in forever! It is a shame, I really want to make it soon…I think I might use your recipe
. Have a great weekend!
LOL- I would totally have to break my ‘Jesus diet’ too, if you were bringing in desserts
I love carrot cake & yours looks like my favorite one- I love the big chunks of nuts in it…I hate when there is no ‘crunch’ in it. YUM! Can you FedEx some down to FL??! 
Does Chelsea make her own Vanilla extract?!? If so, that is SO cool!!
And, did you just add the bow around your cupcake on the header?!?!? If not, then I feel like a loser because I just noticed it.
I LOVE it! Super cute!
What a cute bottle of vanilla!! That’s awesome. This cake also looks great. I’ve been tempting people all “jesus diet’ season long, and now that they can finally have some treats I showed up to work with nothing! I have got to try this carrot cake soon.
Easter is still lingering for me as well… did I tell you how much I really enjoy Carrot cake? The best that I had was in Notting Hill… it was divine, I can’t wait to give your recipe a try.
YUM! I love carrot cake…My mom made one for Easter – but I cannot get enough of that stuff!
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I am not a huge dessert person but I love carrot cake.
Love carrot cake but haven’t made it myself yet. And carrot cupcakes!
Pecans in carrot cake are my favorite! I love this, but have never made it myself (what the heck have I been thinking?) Yours looks delic! Wishing you a great week
This looks so moist and delicious! Healthy too, right? CARROT cake?
Carrot cake has to be a year round food…and hello cream cheese frosting? That’s like a food group for us! This looks amazing!
Any time is a good time for carrot cake for me.
This looks so very good.
I heart carrot cake. It’s my best friend:) This one looks drool worthy!
@The Blue-Eyed Bakers, Haha!