Description
Ina Garten’s carrot cake recipe delivers a moist, spiced dessert packed with nuts and cream cheese frosting. Bakers can easily craft this classic treat that promises rich flavor and delightful texture for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1.25 cups (10 fl oz / 296 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 g / 4 oz) butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Ignite the oven to 350°F (175°C) and meticulously grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter, then dust with flour to ensure seamless cake release.
- Batter Foundation: Harness an electric mixer to amalgamate granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, whipping until the mixture transforms into a silky, unified emulsion.
- Dry Ingredient Integration: Gradually introduce flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt into the wet mixture, stirring with precision to maintain the batter’s delicate structure without overmixing.
- Texture Enhancement: Gently fold grated carrots and pecans into the batter, ensuring uniform distribution for a harmonious flavor profile and textural complexity.
- Baking Process: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a silicone spatula, then slide into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, verifying doneness with a toothpick test.
- Cooling Technique: Rest the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, allowing it to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Frosting Creation: Whip softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until achieving a luxuriously smooth consistency, then fold in chopped pecans for added crunch.
- Final Assembly: Once the cake has cooled entirely, lavishly spread the pecan-infused frosting across the entire surface, creating a decadent, even layer that promises a delightful culinary experience.
Notes
- Measure Precisely: Use exact measurements for flour, sugar, and spices to ensure the perfect cake texture and balance of flavors.
- Room Temperature Matters: Bring eggs and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to create smoother, more evenly incorporated batter and frosting.
- Grate Carrots Fresh: Hand-grate carrots just before mixing to maintain maximum moisture and prevent excess liquid from affecting the cake’s consistency.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir dry ingredients into wet components just until combined to prevent a tough, dense cake texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 54 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg