Best Ever Carrot Cake #SundaySupper

This carrot cake is moist and fluffy making it the BEST EVER!!

I have made carrot cakes for my birthday in years past, but I've also been making them at Easter time. I figured it was the perfect recipe to share for this week's Sunday Supper event: ROOT VEGETABLES. We are so close to Easter! A special shout-out to our host for this week: Cindy of Cindy's Recipes and Writing.

I have posted two other recipes for carrot cake on my blog: Why-I-Joined-Zaar Carrot Cake and To Die For Carrot Cake. They are similar with carrots, coconut, and pineapple in them. I liked this one because it was all about the carrots. I do love pineapple and coconut in my carrot cake - I mean honestly, I will take carrot cake however it comes, but it is called carrot cake for a reason and this recipe really makes carrot the star! This cake also replaces some of the oil with applesauce and it makes for a very moist, fluffy cake.

I decorated my cake with a basket weave on top and then I tried to do a border and failed, so I covered it up with my star tip like grass. It actually turned out pretty cute, so I wasn't too bummed. It was so cute because it looked like a carrot when it was cut into triangles. I used full pecan halves around the edges, but you could use chopped pecans or decorate the top with pecans. It's up to you! Let your creativity flow! :)


(Print)
What you need:
For the cake:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans or pecan halves

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup salted butter, at room tempereature
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Green food coloring, yellow food coloring, red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined, but do not overmix.
4. Stir in the grated carrots.
5. Divide the batter into two greased (and parchment paper lined) 9-inch round cake pans.
6. Bake at 350* for 35 to 39 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in cake pans for 5 minutes before removing and letting them cool on a wire rack completely.
8. For the frosting: whip cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar little by little until you reach the desired consistency.
9. Frost cake in desired method. I frosted the middle layer and a crumb coating around on the sides before dividing my frosting up to use the food coloring. I loved how the slices looked like carrots with the orange basket weave in the center and the "grass" around the edges.
10. Decorate with pecans. I used whole pecans around the sides.

Recipe from Cooking Classy

Stop by the other Sunday Supper movement members' blogs to see what root vegetable treat they shared!

Appetizers

• Chipotle Sweet Potato Chips from Momma's Meals
• Golden Beet Chips with Sea Salt from Sunday Supper Movement
• Roasted Beet Hummus from And She Cooks
• Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette from Nik Snacks
• Roasted Parsnip, Carrot and Garlic Soup from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Roasted Sweet Potato Soup from Magnolia Days
• Root Vegetable Soup with Herb Croutons from An Appealing Plan
• Waffled Carrot Latkes from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Breakfast

• Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Carrot Cake Smoothie from Brunch-n-Bites
• Carrot Cake Waffles from Alida's Kitchen
• Sweet Potato Biscuits with Beetroot Orange Marmalade from Dad Whats 4 Dinner
• Sweet Potato Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Skillet Bake from The Texan New Yorker

Main

• Bacon-Potato Torte from Tramplingrose
• Beef & Root Vegetable Hand Pastries from Gate to Plate
• Beet, Blue Cheese and Bacon Pizza from Caroline's Cooking
• Beet Pesto from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Celery Root, Apple and Gorgonzola Flat Bread Pizza from Simply Healthy Family
• Hearty Stew Hand Pies from The TipToe Fairy
• Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella Salad from The Chef Next Door
• Root Vegetable and Beef Flatbread from Family Foodie
• Roasted Vegetable Borscht from The Crumby Cupcake
• Shepherd's Pie Loaded Baked Potatoes from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Skillet Breakfast Potatoes from Life Tastes Good
• Sweet Potato Pancakes from Our Good Life
• Turnip Rutabaga and Root Veggie Beef Stew from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Wild Rice Vegetable Bake from Wholistic Woman

Sides

• Baked Potato Wedges with Parmesan and Garlic from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Beet, Greens and Goat Cheese Gratin from Monica's Table
• Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes) from Curious Cuisiniere
• Browned Butter Braised Baby Turnips from Food Lust People Love
• Caprese Twice Baked Potatoes from Seduction in the Kitchen
• Carrot Ribbon and Orange Salad from Pies and Plots
• Celery Root Gratin with Horseradish Cream from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Italian Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Gogoma Jorim (Korean Soy-braised Sweet Potatoes) from kimchi MOM
• Honey Dijon Roasted Carrots from Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• Jicama Home Fries from Casa de Crews
• Lemon Thyme Au Gratin Potatoes from Vintage Kitty
• Moroccan Harissa Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Balsamic Carrots from Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Roasted Root Vegetable Farro from Cooking Chat
• Roasted Rosemary Potatoes (with make-ahead tip) from Meal Planning Magic
• Root Vegetable Mash from Feeding Big and more
• Rooty Dauphinoise from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Smashed Potatoes from Taste And See
• Smoked Sausage Potato Casserole from Kitchen Gidget
• Spicy Carrots & Potatoes from Sweet Mornings
• Sweet Potato Shoestring Fries from Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Winter Salad with Fennel, Apples, Goat Cheese and Radishes from Delaware Girl Eats

Desserts

• Best Ever Carrot Cake from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake from Angels Home Sweet Homestead
• Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Carrot Cookies from The Freshman Cook
• Chocolate Carrot & Squash Muffins from What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Carrot Cake from Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Iced Beet Cake from Beauty and the Beets
• Gluten Free Carrot Cake from Real Food Real Deals

 

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