Caroline, Chicago, IL
This is my Number One. The item that I bring to gatherings with lots of people I don’t know. The cake that my husband and friends request for their birthdays. I have bartered pottery from an artist with this cake. It was the reason I almost started a cake business.
For two years, I have been blogging and baking this cake regularly on the side. A little part of me felt it was the one recipe I shouldn’t share. After all, a “chef” doesn’t want to tell all her secrets. So, why post it now? A few reasons… For one, I didn’t realize I was going to keep blogging this long and I have grown great affection for all of you kind people who stop by Whipped to pay visits. I want to share this cake with you.
Secondly, I have decided that instincts to keep a recipe secret are prideful and weird and I will no longer listen to them! So, I not only want to share the recipe but all the little tips that I have honed over the years to make it just the way I like. For additional general baking tips, click here.
Luscious, Moist Carrot Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pureed cooked carrots
1 small 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
1/2 cup walnuts for the top (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9 inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Peel and cook carrots until a fork easily can be poked in to them. One small bag of full sized carrots should yield about the right amount of pureed, cooked carrots. Drain the carrots and purree while still warm in a blender or food processor until they are smooth. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the carrot puree and set aside.
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir dry ingredients together with a whisk to combine well. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well for about 2 minutes. Fold in walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple. Pour equal amounts of batter into each pan. Set in the middle of the oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until edges have pulled away from sides and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let sit in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and cool completely. When cool, level cakes to take humps off the center with a serrated knife. Spread cream cheese frosting between the layers and on top. I leave the sides out in the open because they are a beautiful brown and nice and crunchy. Sprinkle chopped nuts on the top if desired.
Cream Cheese Frosting
(makes enough for middle and top of cake. Double if you want to frost sides)
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
6 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
Cream together cheese and butter. Slowly stir in sifted confectioners sugar and continue beating until incorporated and light and fluffy.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Wow, I just started an online food journal/blog. And, I have one recipe in particular that I was thinking of holding back. How is it that we get so possessive? Thank you for being brave and inspiring me to do the same. I can’t wait to try this!
January 20th, 2009 at 6:46 am
i have a secret recipe i haven’t ever shared either… its a fabulous chocolate cake. i’m going to try and blog about it this year though
i love my readers too!
this cake looks sooo fabulous! the color is just wonderful!
January 20th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Wow, thanks! You forgot to add “makes one large serving, so back off.”
January 20th, 2009 at 9:37 am
thanks for this inspiring recipe! I would like to make it for a bunch (40) teens at my church for tomorrow night. I like to bake them treats that have some redeeming quality (carrots, coconuts,
pineapples, you know what i mean?). Anyway, I was wondering if you have any advise for me to make this recipe into cupcakes? Also, how many cupcakes do you think this recipe would turn out? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks for all you do!
January 20th, 2009 at 10:07 am
This recipe look awesome. How nice of you to share your secret recipe! I get kind of weird about mine too, but then I remember that I should share my good stuff
In carrot cake, I prefer oil instead of butter because it makes it moist without grease.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I’m enamored with this carrot cake, but I understand how hard it can be to share some recipes, especially family ones. A co-worker’s grandmother was an EXCELLENT southern cook. People requested her recipes all the time. She gave them out as asked, but always left out 1 key ingredient so it would never turn out or taste exactly like hers. Quirky & strange but true (and this woman’s grandson, who is also an excellent cook, does the exact same thing, that is, if you can get him to share a recipe at all!)
January 21st, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hi Caroline! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Just think of how many people will enjoy it and sing your praises. It will live on and on and hopefully your granddaughter will tell everyone it was her grandma’s recipe and she will share it with future generations of cooks–assuming future generations actually cook. Could you just put your layers bottom to bottom so the middle “joint” is flat? Does the top have to be flat as well?
January 21st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Yum, one of my favorites. I’m delighted that it’s almost vegan too (aside from the cc frosting)–so easy to tailor when I have vegan visitors.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Carrot cake is my favorite and I’ve tried a million different versions. I’m always excited when I find one I just know I’ll love. I’m glad you shared the recipe. It always seems that the recipe everyone wants is the one you want to keep to yourself. I’m thinking of blogging a top secret recipe myself. Hopefully, I’ll be able to part with it when the time comes.
January 21st, 2009 at 8:26 pm
It’s a good thing you shared this recipe because it made me discover your blog. I like it a lot. I’ll be watching your updates.
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I absolutely LOVE carrot cakes, but I found out a few months ago I’m too allergic to carrots to even have a bite.
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
This cake might be the only way I can get my kids to eat carrots. Thanks for sharing your special recipe.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
I have a birthday in a month, so if you feel the need to practice making one I will gladly accept it as a birthday gift. Carrot cake is my favorite kind!
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I LOVE carrot cake! But am waiting for an idea recipe to make one myself. This looks like it.
January 24th, 2009 at 10:12 am
who doesn’t love carrot cake? it’s like the best of the best.. and an excuse to eat something seemingly healthy:)
hey, isn’t your nickname carrot cake? sweet and spicy!
January 24th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I think food is meant to be shared and that extends to recipes. That said, it is hard to defeat the urge to covet a particularly awesome recipe as your own secret awesomeness.
January 25th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I loooove carrot cake, but I have never seen a recipe that used mashed carrots. That sounds a ton easier than shredding them (since I don’t have a food processor). Thank you for sharing
January 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
[...] i’m not a fan of most carrot cakes as they tend to dissapoint with dry cake, too sweet frosting. this cake looks pretty good, so i’ll have to give it a go v. soon. [...]
January 30th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Wow! Just made this into cupcakes for my husband and office. By 10 am, I had three requests for the recipe. I used an immersion blender to blend the carrots – very easy. Thanks for sharing! This is a new favorite at our house now too.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:14 am
I’m going to have to write this one down. I’ve been waiting for a good carrot cake recipe to try for ages. Although the one sold in Costco’s Bakery is magical for a store-bought…
February 20th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
thanks for sharing, i made these and it taste homely good. I omitted out the coconut and pineapple.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I never say no to a carrot cake! And this one looks delish! I love all of the interesting ingredients like the coconut, pineapple, and COOKED carrots. Whole Foods makes a carrot cake similar to this with pineapple and walnuts.
March 10th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
this is truly the most delicous carrot cake EVER!
i made it for my husbands birthday and he totally loved it and so did i.
i varied your recipe:
only 2 cups of brown sugar
and i used macademia nut oil, with its subtle, nutty almost buttery flavor it matched really well with the other ingredients.
also, i used crushed mango instead of pineapple because i did happen to have them. as a frosting i used lilikoi (passionfruit) butter on top of the cake and sprinkled a layer of toasted finely shredded coconut. i guess you can call it a hawaiian version of your fabulous cake. thank you for sharing your secret recipe! you made two more ‘tummies” very happY : )
June 6th, 2009 at 2:26 am
Thank you so much for this recipe. I too have been on a long search for the perfect carrot cake. A friend with American connections gave me her recipe years ago and everyone who tried it asked for the recipe too. Unfortunately, after many copies were made, I gave my only copy away by mistake and never managed to track it down…. until now. Can’t wait to make it again – I’m sure this is the one!
June 11th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I have had this bookmarked for so long and finally made it for my 1/2 birthday this year (!) – it is delicious! Thanks so much for sharing it!
September 20th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Thank you VERY much for sharing! I was looking for the perfect carrot cake and you supplied it! You truly have made many people happy by sharing your secret!
October 7th, 2009 at 11:43 am
[...] am proud to be famous for my Carrot Cake. I have this recipe down to a science and it is moist, flavorful and perfect! I was recently [...]
December 4th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Hello,
I just happened to stumble upon this recipe, and I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting it. I am addicted to the whole food carrot cake, but this recipe tops that one. Being new to cooking, I really appreciate people putting up recipes that are sure to please everyone!
Thanks!
Sehr from Pennsylvania
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