Best Carrot Cake Recipe
INGREDIENTS
CARROT SHEET CAKE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple (drained*)
- 2 cups finely grated carrot
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
BUTTERMILK GLAZE
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
TO MAKE THE CARROT CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. I use a nonstick baking spray with flour in it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together buttermilk, oil, and sugar until well-combined.
- Mix in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Add pineapple and carrots; stir until just incorporated.
- Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
- Add coconut and nuts, if using. Stir until just combined. Batter will be wet.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan, smoothing as necessary.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
TO MAKE THE BUTTERMILK GLAZE
- While the cake is baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze.
- In a saucepan, combine, sugar, buttermilk, butter, and baking soda. Use a large enough saucepan to allow mixture to bubble up as it cooks.
- Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. You should have 1/2 cup of buttermilk glaze.
- When the cake is finished baking, remove from oven.
- Immediately brush buttermilk glaze over hot cake.
- Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature.**
TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Turn mixer up to high and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Drop spoonfuls of frosting over the cake.
- Carefully spread the spoonfuls together to cover the cake. Spreading in one direction will help to prevent the cake from coming up into the frosting.
- Store any leftover cake covered in the refrigerator.
