I don't know what came over me, but I suddenly decided I wanted to make a carrot cake! It isn't something I bake very often. In fact, I think this is only the second one I've ever made as an adult.
On a whim, I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did.
I’ve kept desserts pretty limited around our house this summer, so this was a fun surprise for the kids. The kitchen smelled amazing while it baked, and by the time I sliced into it, everyone was eager to see if it lived up to expectations.
It definitely did.
Here's a little tip: you might not want to tell the kids it's carrot cake until after they've had a bite! One of my daughters heard the words "carrot cake" and immediately decided she wasn't interested. I don't think she quite understood that it was still a delicious dessert. She just heard "carrot" and figured it wasn't for her! Once everyone else started raving about it, I thought she’d give it a try… but nope.
The cake is incredibly moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with a rich Neufchatel cheese frosting that makes every bite worth it. It earned two enthusiastic thumbs up from the whole family… with the exception of the child who refused to try it!
If you're looking for a homemade dessert that's a little different from the usual chocolate or vanilla cake, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. It comes together quickly and is incredibly moist and flavorful.
I was so pleased with it that I wrapped up a big slice to take to my mom all the way in Houston! Unfortunately, our schedules never lined up and I didn't get to deliver it, but that just meant more cake for me, so all was well!
Recipe below is from Taste of the South Southern Baking magazine.
One-Layer Carrot Cake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Cake Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve the juice)
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated carrot
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup Neufchâtel cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish (optional):
- Ground cinnamon
Directions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch round deep cake pan with baking spray with flour.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the reserved pineapple juice and raisins. Microwave on high until the mixture begins to boil, about 30 seconds. Let stand for 20 minutes. Drain the raisins, discarding the juice.
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir in the grated carrot. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, reserved pineapple, and reserved raisins.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the wet ingredients, stirring just until moistened. (The batter will be thick.) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Garnish with ground cinnamon, if desired.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the Neufchâtel cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Add the confectioners' sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla, beating until smooth.
