Thea's carrot cake

This carrot cake is my favourite recipe as it sets the standard for carrot cakes everywhere. Most of its flavour comes from brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and carrots.

It’s a total classic and it's taste converts everyone, even those people who “don’t like carrot cake”. Who are they?

With its outstanding spice flavour, super moist crumb, and velvety cream cheese frosting, this is truly the best carrot cake.

The cake is dense, but each forkful tastes super soft and extra lush.

INGREDIENTS:

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups of light or dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (100gr) granulated sugar

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 4 cups grated carrots (about 7 large)

• 2 cups (260g) chopped pecans optional (1 cup for cake, 1 cup for garnish)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 400gr full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• pinch of salt, to taste

METHOD:

for the cake

• Preheat oven to 180 C degrees

• Begin by toasting pecans in the oven (if of course you want to use nuts)

• Toast them in the preheated oven and let them cool down for a couple minutes

• Spray two 9-inch round cake pans well with non stick cooking spray (you can also line the bottom of each pan with cooking paper for easier removal) and set aside

• Start the carrot cake batter

• Begin with 2 mixing bowls. Whisk the dry ingredients together in 1 bowl, then the wet ingredients in another bowl

• Combine the two, along with shredded carrots and the toasted nuts (optional).

• You don’t need a mixer for the cake batter!

• Pour the cake batter evenly between both prepared cake pans.

• Bake at 180 C degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the tops of the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the centre of each one comes out clean.

• Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool in the pans for about 20-25 minutes. Once the cakes have cooled, remove from the pans and return the cakes to the wire rack to finish cooling

for the cheese frosting;

• In a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

• Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds

• Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined

• Lastly add 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and mix for 30 more seconds

To assemble the cake

• Level the tops of each cake with a knife

• Place one of the cakes on a cake stand, top with a little over 1/2 cup of the frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer

• Place the other cake on top and use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.

• Top with pecans if desire

Tip: If you’re looking to pipe decoration with this cream cheese frosting, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes first. This guarantees the creamy frosting will hold its shape

Carrot Cake Success Tips
1. Ginger adds the most delicious zing in the cake without being overpowering 
2 Don’t skip:
Brown Sugar - Brown sugar not only sweetens cake, it produces so much flavour and moisture. It’s just… the best!
Oil - For cakes like carrot cake that have flavour from other ingredients, oil is the best choice
3. One of the best parts about carrot cake is that it gets better with time, even after 1 full day. The flavours mingle, the moisture prevails, and the cream cheese frosting sets into the layers. 
4. For deeper flavour use toasted pecans
5. Use freshly grated carrots. Grate them yourself.