Description
This Old Fashioned Carrot Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert featuring shredded carrots, warm spices, and the added texture of coconut flakes or nuts. Finished with a classic cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for tea time or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons more to coat baking pans)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- 1 cup coconut flakes (or 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans)
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 4 large eggs
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Pans: Grease 2 round 8-inch baking pans with vegetable oil and coat them with flour. Trace two circles onto parchment paper using one pan, cut them out, and place one parchment circle at the bottom of each pan.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (176°C) to ensure it is at the right temperature for baking the cake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer set to low speed, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and cinnamon or nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Mix: Incorporate the coconut flakes, shredded carrots, vegetable oil, eggs, and unsweetened apple sauce into the dry mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Optionally, wrap the pans with baking strips to ensure even baking. Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then remove them from pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for about 1 hour before applying frosting.
- Prepare Frosting and Assemble: (Not detailed in original instructions, but implied) Beat together room temperature cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled carrot cakes.
Notes
- This recipe adds the delightful texture and flavor of coconut flakes, but chopped walnuts or pecans can be used as alternatives.
- Using baking strips around pans helps the cakes bake evenly without doming.
- Letting the cake cool completely before frosting ensures the frosting doesn’t melt.
- Perfect snack cake that pairs wonderfully with tea or coffee.
- For a nuttier flavor, substitute coconut flakes with chopped nuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of cake)
- Calories: 714
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 381 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 121 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
