I know it’s hard to believe for some of you that I didn’t just make a pie, but also a cake! And the cake was 100% from scratch! I made a carrot cake from scratch!!! Does repeating it make it more real?
This cake has a little bit of history in our household. It’s the cake I made Alex for his birthday when we had just started dating. He requested a carrot cake, and I very reluctantly agreed to make it. I had NEVER made one before. I even bought a box mix just in case this didn’t turn out.
But it did!
I’ve made this cake about 4 times now. I know… that’s not a lot of times, but I feel like a bit of an expert already. So, if you love carrot cake (and cream cheese icing) get ready for the following array of pictures as I take you step by step through this process. It’s a bit of a long one!
By the way, this recipe is Canada’s Best Carrot Cake as tested in The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. I take NO credit for coming up with this amazing recipe!
- 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
- 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
- 2 cups (500 mL) grated carrots
- 1 cup (250 mL) drained crushed canned pineapple
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 8 oz (250g) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (60 mL) butter, softened
- 1 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
- 2 cups (250 mL) icing sugar
- Grease and flour a bundt cake pan (I use a silicone one and it's amazing so I highly recommend that); set aside.
- In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
- In separate bowl, beat together granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth; pour over flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans. Spread in prepared pan.
- Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack.
- (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or overwrap with heavy duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks; let thaw before continuing.)
- In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, one-third at a time, until smooth. Spread over top of cake.
- (Make-ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to I day.)
- This cake is DELICIOUS! I made a few changes to the original recipe since I used a bundt cake pan, so the icing amount is doubled. I have also tried it with both pecans and walnuts and both are great!
Carrot cake from scratch: the making in pictures!
That’s it! That’s how I made carrot cake from scratch. All by myself. Looks pretty easy, right?
Trust me, if I can do it, ANYONE can! I did sprinkle some walnuts and coconut on top of the iced cake as well, just to add a bit of texture and make it a little prettier.
I really wish I hadn’t made this cake for Thanksgiving because I could totally go for a piece of it right now!
Any suggestions on how to make Canada’s Best Carrot Cake better?
P.S. The smell of this baking was oh-so-yummy and made my house smell super duper homey and amazing.
Now I’m off to dream about cream cheese icing…
Steph says
October 30, 2013 at 9:21 amThat looks so good! I haven’t attempted carrot cake before, but I love it so I’m going to keep this recipe in mind for the next time I need a dessert for something!
Thalita says
October 31, 2013 at 9:07 amThanks, Steph!!! It’s a pretty big hit with anyone who has tried it so far – I think the icing has a lot to do with that!!
Amy | Love On Sunday Blog says
October 30, 2013 at 9:47 amWhaaaaaaaat! Girl, you are on a roll! This looks amazing and I need to try it. Also, you have such pretty bowls! Love it!
Thalita says
October 31, 2013 at 9:08 amhaha Amy, you’re too funny. Thanks, though! I can hardly believe it’s me doing all of this baking!! Bowls are care of Indigo and Anthro – can’t go wrong, right?
Becky says
October 30, 2013 at 1:27 pmThat looks amazing!!!! I want some!
Pinned for future baking :)
Thalita says
October 31, 2013 at 9:09 amWoo hoo! I too, want some now!
Anonymous says
November 4, 2013 at 1:11 pmOmnomnomnomnom….. this cake looks delicious!! Definitely adding it to my recipe file under “things to cook IMMEDIATELY”. I’m thinking as a second holiday dessert. Thanks for the details! (also, great photo, dude!)
Thalita says
November 4, 2013 at 3:27 pmIs it entirely terrible that the thing that stuck with me of all things said in your comment was the part in brackets at the end? For reals… photo taken with iPhone and in a mad rush, so a million thanks for saying that!!!!!!!
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above says
November 26, 2013 at 2:31 amThanks so much for sharing with Wednesday’s Adorned Link Party. Have a great Thanksgiving.
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com