Monday, May 26, 2008

The best carrot cake!











This is the best carrot cake I have ever tasted. I have had plenty of carrot cake over the years...but nothing has ever come close to this. I have absolutely no idea where I found the recipe either... ..it was clipped from a calendar put out by some food product from the look of the picture on the back.

One of our little traditions is that each of us bakes the other's birthday cake. I always order carrot cake when it comes to mine. Mr. BumbleVee likes chocolate for his. I have tried many different chocolates over the years...but for my carrot cake.... he will always know exactly which recipe to use. He makes the best carrot cake !!

Nutty Carrot Cake
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups shredded carrots
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (there is plenty for me with just the salty butter)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we use walnuts...sometimes toasted)

........(we also like to toss in some raisins....and add some other spices too.... a smidge of Ginger, teensy "sprink" of Nutmeg and a bit of All Spice) all optional and to your own taste of course. Once you make it... you can decide which spices might enhance the flavour for your own palate.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended. Add carrots and vanilla;mix well. Add combined dry ingredients alternately with milk..mixing well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch tube pan or 9 X 13 inch cake pan.

Bake at 350 F (180 C ) for 55 to 60 minutes for tube pan Only 45 to 50 minutes for 9 X 13 pan. Test with toothpick for done-ness. Cool cake completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Icing
1 125 gram pkg cream cheese
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted icing sugar (test every so often to determine how much to suit your own taste)

Combine softened cream cheese and several large spoonfuls of icing sugar; stir til well blended. (If you didn't sift the sugar there may be lumps..) Add vanilla, blend well; add more icing sugar .... add a tiny bit of the milk alternately with icing sugar making sure it does not get too runny. Barely a dribble of milk and you have to add another cup of sugar.. ... I prefer to maintain the cream cheesy taste and don't add nearly the amount of icing sugar or milk the recipe calls for. Check every so often to see how it tastes. Wait til cake is completely cool before frosting.
YUM!!!

14 comments:

Gina said...

Sounds spot on! My all time favourite is banana caramel cake but carrot cake's not far behind & before chocolate!
I had a piece of carrot cake in a cafe yesterday & they had put a little lemon juice in the icing..and it was very nice.
That's so lovely that Mr BV bakes it for you..does this mean you have just had a birthday??? :) Gx

BumbleVee said...

As soon as I read lemon...my mouth began to water... and what about a bit of grated lemon zest in there too? it sounds perfect. We'll try it next time ...

Austen said...

Mm, I *love* carrot cake!

Alice said...

I can never quite decide whether I like the cake itself or the cream cheese icing best. LOL, either way, a perfect combination!

Louise said...

I too love carrot cake, a more pleasant way to eat carrots I would say. I too like to taste the cream cheese in the icing, and I like a really nutty texture in the cake. I am not really that fussy, I would eat it in any shape or form! x

suze said...

It's my DH's favorite. I will have to try it.
Thanks!

Naturegirl said...

Thank you for posting as I LOVE carrot cake! Always tasting and trying to come up with a favorite! I'll try this!!

laughingwolf said...

looks yum, thank you!

i'll have to try this, though i'm inexperienced in baking, other than outta the box stuff...

luckily i learned some cooking at ma and pa's knee, and no one has died... yet ;)

often, my son complains: too many spices, dad! lol

/// said...

Oh that looks so yummy!!!

Cynthia said...

The recipe for carrot cake is perfect for my upcoming work
picnic - in fact this blog is
brimming with wonderful recipes
and info. thnaks!

BumbleVee said...

Oh, I hope some of you do get a chance to try this recipe... let me know it you do and how it turns out.

Elenka said...

I will make this as soon as I figure out what 125 grams of cream cheese is. I never heard of icing sugar either. What, am I in another world or something?
Anyway, thanks for the recipe, I LOVE carrot cake.

Miss Kris said...

Oooo...carrot cake! I'm drooling over here, looks sooo divine!

Love all your yummy recipes
~Miss Kris~

Anonymous said...

Now, thats special! Thanks so much for a great sounding recipe. I've been looking long and hard for a carrot cake that dosnt use oil (carrot cake recipes always call for oil as the fat!) I always wondered why? Now i dont have to wonder why any more; i'll just go ahead and use your recipe, just as soon as i get the rest of the ingredients. It sounds delish; thanks again!
Marin