THE Best Carrot Cake Recipe

For my mommy's birthday last week, I made her a scrumptious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The recipe is adapted from a Gainesville Junior League cookbook and honestly, it is THE BEST carrot cake I've ever tasted. The moistness is like nothing I've ever experienced. I want to make another one asap - I'm craving more of this one so much already!


Carrot Cake
1 1/4 cup canola oil (*see below for applesauce substitute & applesauce substitute post here)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup - less 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
3 cups shredded raw carrots, packed (6-7 large carrots)
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
12 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Start by grating, by hand or with a food processor, the large carrots until finely shredded.


In a large bowl sift together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice.


If substituting applesauce: use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce plus 1/4 cup canola oil


In a separate large mixing bowl blend the sugars and the oil and/or applesauce.



Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended.


Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time to the sugar/oil mixture and blend with mixer on low speed or mix with spatula by hand until just blended.


Stir in the carrots, and then then pineapple and nut.


Pour batter in 2 9-inch round cake pans.


Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, and be sure not to over-bake, especially if you used the applesauce substitute.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove an allow to finish cooling on a rack.


Frost each layer with yummy yummy cream cheese frosting and stick it in the fridge until you're ready to eat so the frosting hardens a bit and stays fresh.



Can you taste the moistness!? Heavenly!



Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-oz package cream cheese at room temp
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)

Cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in vanilla.