Amazing Carrot Cake Recipe

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta

Greek yogurt offers a tangy flavor with fewer calories.

walnuts

🥗Healthier: pecans

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Pecans provide a similar texture and flavor, while sunflower seeds are nut-free.

granulated sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Coconut sugar is less processed, while brown sugar is often cheaper.

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: applesauce

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Applesauce reduces fat while adding moisture.

Butter three 8-inch cake pans and optionally line with parchment paper rounds.

Dust the sides of the pans with flour after buttering them.

Shred 1 pound of carrots using a fine grater or food processor.

In a large bowl, sift together 300 grams of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1.5 teaspoons of salt, 0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon, 0.25 teaspoon of ginger, 0.5 teaspoon of cardamom, and 0.5 teaspoon of all-spice.

In another bowl, combine 3/4 cup of sour cream, 3/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of apple sauce, 1.67 cups of granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 3 room temperature eggs, then whisk until combined.

Toss 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans with some flour to coat them.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined, leaving some pockets of flour.

Fold in the shredded carrots and the pecans until fully incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into the three prepared pans, aiming for about 640 grams of batter in each.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake layers cool in the pans before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the cream cheese frosting, beat together 3 sticks of room temperature butter and 16 ounces of cream cheese until smooth.

Gradually add in 1.75 pounds of confectioners sugar and a splash of vanilla extract, mixing until creamy.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag for decorating the cake.

Decorate the cooled cake layers with cream cheese frosting, nuts, and buttercream carrots made from 1/2 cup of butter.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens