The one, true carrot cake! No pineapple, no nuts. ALWAYS cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients:
- 1 c vegetable oil
- 2 c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 eggs [try an extra egg for high altitude]
- 2 c regular flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon [see Notes]
- 3 c grated carrots (about six largish carrots)
- [Cream Cheese Frosting – ingredients below]
Directions:
- Preheat oven 350°.
- Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or two (2) 9 inch layer pans.
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer) mix oil, sugar and vanilla.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Separately mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add dry ingredients to the oil/sugar bowl.
- Stir in carrots.
- Pour into prepared pan(s).
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- (For layer cake): Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
- Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (below). 9×13 cake can be frosted in the pan.
Notes:
- Some folks’ carrot cake recipes include nutmeg, allspice, cloves, in addition or instead of cinnamon. Sounds like a basis for experimentation!
- Some folks’ carrot cake recipes include pineapple and/or raisins and/or nuts. These are an abomination and should be shunned. Dried coconut might be interesting, though.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
- 8 oz package cream cheese
- ¼ lb butter
- 1 lb confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Beat in a bowl.
- Spread on cool cake/layers.
Notes:
- You can extend the frosting, if it seems too thick, with milk.
- This amount of frosting works well for the 9×13 version; the layer cake might require more.
Serves: 6 – 10
Source: Based on a recipe in the Pomona College Cookbook, from the Wilburton Inn in Manchester, Vermont. Caroline Eckis, Scripps Class of ’31 and Rollin Eskis, Class of ’27, Trustee
Additional notes by Dave the Hubby.