My hubby and kids love carrot cake {my son calls it raisin cake as he’s in denial there are carrots in this recipe}. I love making it for the obvious reason of the added carrots. It’s the moistest, most delicious cake ever!
For cake recipes, I don’t mess around and go straight for the heavyweights like Martha Stewart and Rose Levy Beranbaum {The Cake Bible}.
I love Rose’s cake books. This recipe is from her Heavenly Cakes cookbook.
So here it is:
Classic Carrot Cake
2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour {sifted into the cup and leveled off}
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup minus 2 teaspoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups canola or safflower oil, room temperature
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups coarsely coarsely shredded carrots
1 cup raisins, tossed with 2 teaspoons flour
Grease two 9×2 inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper {or line cupcake pans for 24 cupcakes}
Preheat the oven to 350 deg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon. Sift the flour mixture onto a large piece of parchment.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed for 1 minute, or until well blended. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed for about 20 seconds, just until incorporated. Add the carrots and half the raisins and beat for another 12 seconds. Using a silicone spatula, scrap the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces evenly with a small offset spatula. Each will be just under half full. Scatter the remaining raisins evenly on top of the batter in each pan. Use the back of a fork to push them gently into the batter.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the centres comes out clean and the cakes spring back when pressed lightly in the centers. The cakes should just start to shrink from the sides of the pans.
Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
For the icing, I like to use this one I made up:
I blend 1-2 packages of cream cheese together with 1/2 cup of butter {both room temperature} with 2-3 cups of sifted icing sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and a bit of milk to thin the consistency.
I find this is the best cream cheese icing recipe for piping onto cakes or cupcakes. Other recipes I’ve tried are often too runny. The icing sugar definitely firms the consistency.
Enjoy the best carrot cake recipe ever!
You’re welcome 😉
Jamie – the blog design looks great! And those muffins… yummm….. your icing alone would have won me over!
Thanks for stopping by, Tara! I love your blog…I’m your newest follower via B, G+, P and FB!
Jamie
these cupcakes look delicious, so good! I will be trying this recipe thank you for sharing it with us! (your pictures are beautiful) Ingrid
Thanks so much, Ingrid 😉
Jamie
my husband loves carrot cake – I usually make a big cake but these cupcakes look so cute!
Kelly
It’s my hubby’s fave too. Cake is too much work sometimes. It worked so well with cupcakes! Thanks for stopping by 😉
Jamie
OH.MY. I adore carrot cake and this recipe looks divine. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks so much, Anne 😉
Jamie
This looks amazing!! YUMMY!
I would love for you to join my Blog Hop!
http://www.pluckys-secondthought.com/pluckys-blog-hop-4-with-co-host/
Thanks Jessica! I’ll be sure to check out your Blog Hop!
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
Oh my goodness this looks so yummy. And I love your styling for the photos. very cool old crate.
Leslie (GwenMoss)
Thanks so much, Leslie
Jamie
Those cupcakes look delicious and carrot cake is my favourite second to chocolate cake so I most definitely will be trying these out.
Out of curiosity I am looking at buying a good camera to take photos for my blog, what camera do you use for your food shots and would it be good also for interior shots. I need something that works well with indoor light.
I hopped across from the Style Sisters.
Lee 🙂
Hi Lee,
Thanks for stopping by! I have a Canon Rebel T3i. I’m just learning to use it. I just use the 18-55 mm lens it comes with. I put my object by a large window in my living room and shoot midday when the light is the best and try to overexpose my photo as much as possible. Apparently this camera is the best for first time DSLR users. I love it! Make sure to put it on Program or Manual, not Auto 😉
Enjoy your weekend!
Jamie
Hi Lee,
Thanks for stopping by! I have a Canon Rebel T3i. I’m just learning to use it. I just use the 18-55 mm lens it comes with. I put my object by a large window in my living room and shoot midday when the light is the best and try to overexpose my photo as much as possible. Apparently this camera is the best for first time DSLR users. I love it! Make sure to put it on Program or Manual, not Auto 😉
Enjoy your weekend!
Jamie
How could I not want to come check out the Best Carrot Cupcake Recipe? I just pinned this and can’t wait to try it. I have a serious sweet tooth and this looks phenomenal! Krista @ A Handful of Everything
Thanks Krista! I’m now following your blog 😉
Jamie
He I like your blog, I need web hosting for page, a friend of mine recommended me http://www.elcoplanet.com have you ever heard about them. i have checked there web site and it seems that they offer chip prices and good performances unlimited web hosting space and unlimited bandwidth.
Love the liners. Did you just roll down regular liner ? Share your tip. Adorable !
Thanks so much! I actually bought them like this! I’m seeing them around lots of places now. I think I got these at Michael’s 😉
Jamie
What is “icing sugar”….not sure I’ve seen it….confectioners sugar?
Sorry, that’s what we call it here in Canada. Yes, confectioners sugar!
Jamie
Hi! you never mentioned the cooking time for the cupcake? please do, i really love to try your recipe.
Hi Ynna,
The directions on in that big paragraph after one of those photos towards the bottom of the post 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Jamie
How much is ‘A Packet of Cream Cheese’. Thanks!
Hi Mary, approximately 1 1/2 cups. You can see what it looks like here: http://www.phillycanada.com/products/cream-cheese/philadelphia-cream-cheese
I’ll be sure to update my post!
Hugs,
Jamie
I love carrots cake! Carrots are one of my favorite.