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Carrot Cake (Easy and Ultra Moist!) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 95 reviews

This easy and ultra moist carrot cake combines grated carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, and nuts for a wonderfully flavorful dessert. It’s baked to golden perfection and finished with a creamy homemade cream cheese frosting, perfect for celebrations or a delightful everyday treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 440g / 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained but reserve juice
  • 1/4 cup (65 ml) reserved canned pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup (185 ml) milk, at room temperature (full or low fat)
  • 1 tsp white vinegar (or lemon juice or other clear vinegar)
  • 3 eggs (55g/2oz each)
  • 1 1/2 cups (265g) brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil (or canola)

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups (300g) plain / all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda (NOT baking powder)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder

Add-ins

  • 2 cups grated carrot (about 2 carrots, peeled)
  • 1/4 cup coconut, shredded or desiccated (plain / unsweetened)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 180g / 6oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups (480g) icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pans and Oven: Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line two 20-22.5 cm (8-9″) round pans or one 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan with baking/parchment paper for easy cake removal.
  2. Drain Pineapple: Drain crushed pineapple well, reserving the juice. Measure out 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice to use later in the wet ingredients.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder until evenly combined.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk milk, vinegar, eggs, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and reserved pineapple juice until smooth and uniform.
  5. Add Carrots and Nuts: Stir grated carrot, crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and chopped nuts into the wet ingredients, mixing well to distribute evenly.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and stir gently just until the flour is incorporated and no dry spots remain to avoid overmixing.
  7. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake round cakes for 35 minutes or the rectangular cake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
  8. Cool the Cake: Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar in two batches, continuing to beat about 3 minutes on medium-high speed until frosting is fluffy.
  10. Assemble the Cake: Flip one cake upside down onto the serving platter to create a flat surface. Spread one-third of frosting over it. Place the second cake upside down on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting evenly.
  11. Store Properly: Store cake in an airtight container. If ambient temperature is below 25°C (77°F) and humidity is low, it can be kept out of the fridge; otherwise, refrigerate the cake to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Note 1: Reserve pineapple juice to add extra moisture and flavor to the batter.
  • Note 2: Vinegar reacts with baking soda to help the cake rise and creates a tender crumb.
  • Note 3: Do not substitute baking powder; baking soda is necessary for proper leavening.
  • Note 4: Grated carrots add moisture and natural sweetness; about 2 medium carrots yield 2 cups grated.
  • Note 5: Cream cheese should be at room temperature for smooth frosting.
  • Note 6: Sift icing sugar if clumpy to avoid lumps in frosting.
  • Note 7: Properly prepare pans with grease and parchment to prevent sticking.
  • Note 8: High humidity or warm temperature requires refrigeration to keep frosting stable and cake fresh.

Keywords: carrot cake, moist carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, easy carrot cake, homemade carrot cake, pineapple carrot cake, nutty carrot cake

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/carrot-cake-easy-and-ultra-moist-recipe/