I have to make a carrot cake for a friends birthday next Wednesday and he wants carrot cake. I am looking for your best tried and true carrot cake recipe. Thank you.

I've tried this one and it's good:

http://cakecentral.com/recipe/carrot-cake-or-banana-cake

I don't like to bastardize carrot cake by adding pineapple and coconut. I just do shredded carrots and toasted walnuts. Yum!

I use the Martha Stewart carrot cupcake recipe. People rave about it! You should be able to find it online, she has most of her recipes posted on her website.

The only thing I change is that I take out 1/4 of the oil, I find it a bit too greasy with the whole amount

I love Paula Deens
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/sweet-baby-jack-carrot-cake-recipe/index.html

I just add 1cup shredded carrots, and sometimes walnuts.

You may want to try this one http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/gigis-carrot-cake-recipe/index.html.

I made it for the first time a few weeks ago for January birthdays at work and everyone loved it. Another coworker requested it for his birthday yesterday again it was a big hit. It really is a good recipe and it comes out very moist. The only thing I added was 8 oz of drained crushed pineapples.

This is the only recipe I have ever used...I have had this recipe for about 30 years! I have used it to make layer cakes, mini cupcakes and a birthday cake for my mom (artist pallette) using the medium sized paisley pan. Comes out perfect every time! My recipe calls for pecans in the cream cheese frosting but when I made my mom's cake I put the nuts in the cake instead since I was decorating.

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups s/r flour
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots

Combine sugar, oil, eggs & vanilla. Mix well. Add flour and cinnamon. Mix well. Slowly add carrots and mix well. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (9' round layer cake). Frost w/ cream cheese frosting.

bernerluv this looks like a good ole' fashion recipe. I can't wait to try it.

Do you have a cream cheese frosting to go along with it? Also, do you do little frosting carrots on the top?

Well I'll be a bastardized carrot cake eatin fool Hon-tey! The pineapple & coconut makes my carrot cake the Truth Ruth! Say what you want, but what you won't say is can I get a slice of carrot cake 1 hour after my bastardized carrot cake hits the table, cause it's all gone Boo Boo! To each his or her finger lickin own. I only did carrots and nuts for years until I tasted a carrot cake with coconut and pineapple in it. Some people request the plain carrot cake, but the carrot cake with pinapple and or coconut sells much better. Carrot cake and red velvet cake are my absolute favorite cakes.

LOL! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE coconut and pineapple. But in a carrot cake it's just not for me. Carrot cake is carrot cake. Coconut cake is coconut cake. Pineapple cake is, well pineapple upside down cake! LOL!

And I do love me a ham and pineapple pizza, which everyone rags on me about. So there's my dirty little secret.

Mimi, I still heart you.

Hey Annie, what do you think of bastardizing with pumpkin? Once I tried this, I have never made a true carrot again for personal use. It is gobbled at functions. One issue, it is so moist that it is hard to cut, but so worth the trouble.

I'm with Annie. The canned pineapple and coconut make it too sweet for me, but I'm in a minority for liking less sweet desserts. When I do use pineapple in a cake, such as pineapple upside down cake, I use fresh.

I have never tried it with pumpkin, but I think it would be good. I think because maybe they both have a similar texture when cooked and pureed.

I don't like things that are overly sweet either. I think it really takes away from the flavors...

I took that cake to a sports banquet once and people were standing waiting for a second piece while eating their first piece at the dessert table.

LOL! That's when you know it's good!

This is my go to carrot cake.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/carrot-cake-iii/
I do 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white and it makes a great cake. FYI, I have to line my pans with parchment with this cake. For some reason it likes to stick.

I use Delia Smith's Ultimate Carrot Cake which also uses Coconut in the recipe and sultanas too. It is absolutely divine and I have converted 'carrotcake haters' into loving it with this recipe. Would love to try the version with pineapple as that sounds lush.

Much love,
ChilliPepper xxxx

As my friends husband has said when eating other carrot cakes "this is not your carrot cake ".
But heres my secret for moist cake and the sweetness . A can of CRUSHED pineapple drained well.
I also dont overly sweeten my.frosting . I still like to have the slight tang of sr cream.

From the Cook's illustrated baking book.

Pumkin? Hmmmm, that sounds interesting!

I use fresh pineapple in my carrot cake but, I grate it or really finely dice. I also add coconut and walnuts. I like my carrot cake CHUNKY! LOL To each there own.

My MIL uses carrot baby food in her carrot cake..it's her "secret" ingredients. I don't eat her carrot cake! LOL

This is from the Silver Palate Cookbook. You cook the carrots and puree them and that makes the cake very moist:

Carrot Cake
From The Silver Palate Cookbook
In the beginning, Sheila's mother drove her famous carrot cakes down to Manhattan daily from her Connecticut kitchen. The cake became a Silver Palate classic; it may now become yours as well.



(10 to 12 portions)

Butter, for greasing the pan
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1⁄2 cups corn oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded coconut
1-1/3 cups puréed cooked carrots
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch springform pans.

2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in the walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until the edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes.

4. Cool on a cake rack for 3 hours. Fill and frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.

2. Slowly sift in the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps.

3. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.

The BEST is Southern Living's carrot cake recipe w/ buttermilk glaze and cream cheese frosting. I often been told that it was the very best carrot cake that people have eaten.

http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/top-ten-five-star-layer-cakes-00400000040180/page5.html

Yes the southern living is the recipe I use . I like the idea of the grated fresh pineapple ! I will try that next time . Id like to try the Tropical one with macadamia nuts . I usually use pecans .
I have nothing against chunky cake . But alot of people around here prefer it not have chunks and No coconut in the icing . Not too much in the cake either.

when I said "secret " above what I meant is my friend who is also a baker couldnt figure out why it was different . You.do not know there is pineapple because its the crushed .I think it gives it a special sweetness and makes it moist . Basterdized or Not LOL.

The best is Southern Livings Carrot cake w/buttermilk glaze.  To Die For!!!!  Google it.