Description
Paula Deen’s carrot cake blends classic Southern baking with rich cream cheese frosting. Moisture-packed layers combine warm spices and sweet carrots for a comforting dessert that welcomes you to savor each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (750 g) grated carrots
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 (8 oz / 226 g) can crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 tsps (10 g) baking powder
- 2 tsps (10 g) baking soda
- 2 tsps (4 g) ground cinnamon
- 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) and thoroughly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan, dusting lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger in a medium bowl until perfectly blended.
- Egg Transformation: Whip eggs until light and voluminous, then gradually mix in sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, beating until the mixture becomes thick and luxurious.
- Batter Construction: Fold dry ingredients into the egg mixture, creating a smooth, uniform batter, then gently incorporate freshly grated carrots and crushed pineapple, ensuring even distribution.
- Baking Process: Pour the complete batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly, and bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adorning with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Measure Precisely: Use exact measurements for dry ingredients to ensure consistent cake texture and prevent a dense or crumbly result.
- Moisture Matters: Fresh, finely grated carrots provide optimal moisture and sweetness, so avoid using pre-shredded or dried carrots.
- Cooling Technique: Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting and becoming runny.
- Pineapple Prep: Drain crushed pineapple thoroughly to avoid excess liquid that could make the cake soggy and affect its overall structure.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 42 g
- Sodium: 365 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg