Combine the goodness of healthy recipes and desserts into sweet, earthy, and fragrant Carrot Cake!
Using vegetables like carrots can truly give you a guilt-free baked delight. It’s the perfect dish to serve for kids and adults because it’s absolutely loaded with health benefits for everyone.
After trying the Carrot Cake, it will surely be one of your favorite oven recipes. All of your guests will surely want a slice because of the vibrant orange color and soft and light crumbs of the cake!
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This cake is also perfect for celebrations, Thanksgiving, and especially weekends. Carrot Cake is 100% family-friendly, fun, and healthy for everyone!
How to Make Carrot Cake
Homemade Carrot Cake is not at all complicated to bake.
In this recipe, you will be invited to start a healthy lifestyle. It’s also a good way of eating more veggies like carrots. Rest assured that you won’t feel guilty after devouring this delightful pastry!
Ingredients
What do you need to bake Carrot Cake?
Carrots
You might be surprised at how delicious the sweet and earthy flavor of carrots will taste in cakes. Carrots also have a bright orange color that will give the dessert its appealing color.
While usually used for stewing, grilling, roasting, steaming, and stir-frying, you can absolutely try adding carrots to baked goods. I even remember making carrot puree for baby weaning!
I’ve tried plenty of carrot recipes, and all of them end up on my favorites list. I make carrot oil, carrot powder, and carrot juice, especially when we have leftover carrots.
Plain flour
In any cake recipe, you always need plain flour. It supports the shape and structure of the cake as it bakes. The cake will also have a bouncy, light, and fluffy texture because the flour can also help with the rise.
I also use it for more of my cake recipes, like Coconut Cake, Chocolate Cake, Almond Cake, and Pound Cake. Aside from using plain flour, The Best Cake Recipes also suggests using cake flour or pastry flour as substitutes.
Caster sugar
Since carrots are only mildly sweet, I suggest adding caster sugar to your cake batter. Compared to other kinds of sugar, caster sugar is granulated and fine in texture – easy to mix into the cake.
However, note that caster sugar is not as fine as powdered sugar. It’s definitely my go-to sugar for cake recipes like this one.
Baking powder
Make the carrot cake airy, soft, and moist with the powerful leavening effects of baking powder. LiveStrong also suggests using baking powder to make the cake fluffy inside.
With this leavening agent, the carrot cake will feel like it’s melting in your mouth! I also use it when making Nigerian Buns, American Pancakes, and Almond Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.
Bicarbonate of soda
Aside from the baking powder, I also suggest using bicarbonate of soda to make the cake rise higher. It is activated with a liquid to expand the mixture as it cooks.
You can use this for more of your bread and cake recipes for light and airy pastries all the time!
Eggs
For a perfectly-structured cake, all you need are eggs. It improves consistency as well as the creamy quality that the pastry needs. In fact, the eggs can also give the cake a richer color and texture.
It will activate the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to give you the right cake quality.
Seasoning
In this recipe, you just need to season the cake with salt and vanilla extract.
Although the cake only needs a bit of salt, it can already improve the overall flavor of the dish. It will enhance the natural taste of the carrots for the best carrot cake.
Even a bit of vanilla extract can make a huge difference in the carrot cake. This is also a way of creating an illusion that the carrot cake actually has vanilla.
Carrot oil
This unique homemade ingredient will not put your efforts to waste. Carrot oil is a natural and organic condiment for desserts. For homemade carrot oil, check out this easy guide on how I prepare it at home:
If you think store-bought cake is good, then wait until you relish this Carrot Cake. You might even find yourself making this every other week!
Directions
Put your apron on and bake this Carrot Cake for your home!
- Rinse the carrot.
- Peel the vegetable with a peeler and grate it using a grater.
- Filter and mix the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and sea salt with a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl.
- In a separate container, beat the eggs with a whisk and add the caster or powdered sugar.
- Then, add the carrot oil and vanilla extract.
- Use a spatula to fold the wet and dry ingredients together until well incorporated.
- Put in the grated carrots and fold them into the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Grease and line a cake tin with parchment paper.
- Pour in the batter. Tap it on the counter to even out.
- Bake it for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the oven.
- To test for doneness, use a cake tester or a skewer. If it comes out clean, then the cake is cooked.
- Finally, place it on a cooling rack and serve!
This might as well be the best cake recipe you will ever try. It has the flavor, the texture, and most importantly, the nutrients!
Tips
Carrots
Selection
- Epicurious suggests buying carrots with green and vibrant tops.
- Go for fresh carrots that are in proper shape with smooth and vibrant orange skin.
Storage
- Whole carrots should last up to five days at room temperature.
- Alternatively, remove the leaves and store the carrots in containers to refrigerate to last up to 4 weeks.
- Peeled carrots can also be stored in resealable bags or containers with water to last up to 5 days.
- For sliced carrots, store them in containers to refrigerate and use within three weeks.
Caster Sugar
If you don’t have caster sugar, then you can easily make it at home. Just use a blender, spice grinder, or food processor to powderize the sugar until you achieve a fine and powder-like texture.
Store it in a container and in a dry area to last up to several months and even years.
Carrot Oil
This antioxidant-rich and nutrient-filled carrot oil not only comes with skin and hair benefits but also for food!
- Rinse, peel, and grate the carrots.
- Spread the strips evenly on a lined tray.
- Dehydrate the carrots for two days under the sun and 6 to 10 hours in the dehydrator or oven.
- Then, blend it until smooth and powdered.
- Sieve it before storage.
- Using your favorite coconut oil, combine it with the carrot powder.
- Preserve contents in a glass jar to shield them from heat, light, and moisture.
- And you now have your own carrot oil!
Carrot Cake Variations
To make this recipe vegan and vegetarian, use flax eggs or other egg substitutes instead of regular eggs. You can also make a gluten-free version by using gluten-free flour for a recipe that’s better suited for your diet.
A new and improved version of this cake can be taken to the next level by adding walnuts, cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg, apple sauce, macadamia nuts, cashews, and more! In fact, you can also add chocolate chips, coffee, and other flavorings.
Aside from baking the batter into a cake, you can also transform it into a cupcake, muffins, pancakes, and cookies.
More Cake Recipes For You!
No-Oven Carrot Cake
According to Femina, there are several ways you can do to cook a cake.
- Pour the batter into a microwaveable dish and tap it to remove the bubbles.
- Microwave it for 7 minutes and check for doneness with a skewer or cake tester.
- If the cake is still raw, then cook it for a few minutes until fully baked.
In the pot
- Preheat a non-stick pot over medium heat.
- Then, put a wire rack inside.
- Place the covered cake tin in the pot.
- Let it cook for 30 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
Steamer
- Cover the cake tin.
- Let it cook in the steamer for about an hour before checking for doneness.
- Add more water once evaporated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C for 10 minutes.
- Then, place the covered cake tin in the basket to cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until baked all the way through.
- Always check the cake for doneness before taking it out of the air fryer.
Recommended Tools
- Cake tin: Pour the batter into a cake tin for structure.
- Spatula: Combine and fold the ingredients with a spatula.
- Cake tester: Use these tools to check the cake for doneness.
- Grater: Process the carrots with a grater before putting the carrots in the batter.
- Whisk: Mix the ingredients with a whisk.
- Sieve: Filter the dry ingredients with a fine-mesh sieve.
- Knife: Slice the carrots with a knife.
- Peeler: Remove the carrot skin with a peeler.
- Bowl: Prepare the cake batter in a bowl.
- Parchment paper: Line the cake tin with parchment paper.
- Oven: Bake the Carrot Cake in the oven.
- Cooling rack: Let the carrot cake cool.
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How to Serve Carrot Cake
Carrot cake makes an amazing breakfast or brunch, dessert, or snack. It’s the perfect alternative to chips and sugar-filled food that can potentially harm your health. Moreover, you can bake this as a substitute for conventional cake flavors.
This recipe is definitely an amazing way of introducing a fresh, healthy, and delicious pastry. You can also frost it with any flavor or cream of your choice. For color and texture, top it up with nuts, grated carrots, berries, and more.
Pair it with refreshing and nutritious drinks such as:
According to The Infinite Kitchen, there are about 326 calories in a single slice of carrot cake. The number of slices you can have depends on the calories you consume every day, so eat carrot cake moderately to avoid weight gain and blood sugar spikes.
Storage Tips
- At room temperature: Put the carrot cake in a container, and you can let it sit at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make carrot cake step by step?
First, you need to prepare the carrots by rinsing, peeling, and grating them. Then, make the cake batter with the grated carrots to infuse the cake with the right flavor.
Bake it in the oven, and you’ve got yourself a homemade carrot cake!
Is it good to eat carrot cake?
Yes, it is! In fact, it’s a healthy cake flavor that you can easily make with fresh carrots. Carrots can be good for your digestion, heart, weight, brain, energy, immunity, and overall health!
What should carrot cake taste like?
The carrot cake has a sweet, earthy, and rich flavor that tastes like a carrot. It is further enhanced with the spices used in this recipe, such as salt and vanilla extract.
Why is my carrot cake not fluffy?
You need to use leavening agents such as baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to make the carrot cake fluffy. Always check if your leavening agents can still be used by testing them first.
Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g carrots (grated)
- 250 g plain flour
- 125 g caster sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup carrot oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Rinse the carrot.
- Peel the vegetable with a peeler and grate it using a grater.
- Filter and mix the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and sea salt with a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl.
- In a separate container, beat the eggs with a whisk and add the caster or powdered sugar.
- Then, add the carrot oil and vanilla extract.
- Use a spatula to fold the wet and dry ingredients together until well incorporated.
- Put in the grated carrots and fold them into the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Grease and line a cake tin with parchment paper.
- Pour in the batter. Tap it on the counter to even out.
- Bake it for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the oven.
- To test for doneness, use a cake tester or a skewer. If it comes out clean, then the cake is cooked.
- Finally, place it on a cooling rack and serve!
Video
Notes
- Measure the ingredients properly for a flavorful and evenly textured cake.
- You can also cook this in a microwave, in a pot, with a steamer, or in an air fryer.
- Babies can have carrot cake as early as 2 years of age.
- If the cake has not risen, it means that the leavening agent is no longer viable for use. To avoid this problem, test the baking powder before putting it in the batter.
- The overflowing cake is due to too much batter poured into the cake tin. Always pour only up to ¾ of the cake tin.
- If the carrot cake falls apart too easily, this means that there is too much flour in the batter. Flour tends to absorb the moisture of the other ingredients, so measure it properly to get a fluffy and well-textured cake.
Nutrition
