Healthy Homemade Carrot Cake Ready for Easter

Einstein in the Kitchen or Let Them Eat (Carrot) Cake

I have a special treat for you today. It’s a recipe. I usually sell this recipe for $1,000 but it’s your lucky day. OK, I’m just kidding about that, but honestly, this one is worth its weight in gold, which as I write is about $1,850 per ounce.

 

carrot cake #2

In this world, there is carrot cake and then there is scrumptious absolutely to-die-for carrot cake—the kind of cake you’ve only experienced with a $200-per-person meal at a fancy hotel (you do that all the time, right?).

It’s the kind of carrot cake that would surely be named the Grand Champion in a competition at a fine culinary school like Le Cordon Bleu Baking and Pastry Arts Program if I’d ever had such an opportunity to compete.

This is the cake that’s going to make your friends and family think you’re a genius! And don’t be surprised when it becomes your signature cake—the one they request for their birthdays. Imagine how beautiful this cake might look on your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter Brunch buffet table.

As you peruse this recipe, you may be tempted to make a few adjustments. Please do not do that. You’ll think 1 1/2 cups oil is excessive. It’s not. And the pineapple. Seriously? Yes. Do not doubt me.

This is the perfect recipe both in ingredients and proportions, so please follow it exactly. It’s the recipe you’ll be tempted to keep secret and good luck with that! 😉

A piece of cake sitting on top of a table
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4.12 from 86 votes

Einstein Carrot Cake

This is the carrot cake that would surely come out the Grand Champion in a competition at a fine culinary school like Le Cordon Bleu Baking and Pastry Arts Program. This is the cake that’s going to make your friends and family think you’re a genius! And don’t be surprised when it becomes your signature cake—the one they request for their birthdays. 
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 609kcal
Author: Everyday Cheapskate

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup golden raisins, (optional)
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil Note 1
  • 2 cups finely grated raw carrot
  • 1 (8.5 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained Note 3

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup softened salted butter
  • 1 (8 oz.) pkg softened cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (1-lb.) box powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Prepare three two or three (your choice) cake pans by greasing them well and dusting with flour.
  • Sift flour again with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.  See Note 3.
  • In another large bowl, beat eggs lightly and stir in oil. Add sugar. Stir until very well incorporated. Stir in carrots, drained pineapple, nuts, and raisins.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until all are well incorporated. 
  • Divide evenly between the three (3) prepared 8-inch cake pans. Bake in 350 F oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out just barely clean. Do not overbake.
  • Remove from oven; allow to cool 10 minutes and remove cakes from the pans to cool. Make certain cakes are completely cooled to room temperature or cooler before frosting.

Frosting

  • To make the frosting: In a medium-size bowl, combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until smooth with an electric beater. Add sugar gradually, beating well between each addition. Continue beating until smooth and glossy.
  • Assemble cake with frosting between layers and on top. Garnish as desired with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. 

Notes

Note 1
You are going to think it's a typo. It's not. Really, 1 1/2 cups of oil. You'll understand once you cut into this amazing cake, your mouth watering, doing all you can to not smack your lips as you lick your fingers. It is so moist, so light and so lovely. You'll see.
Note 2
This recipe works as a large 9 x 13, two, or three 9" layers.  If you opt for three layers, you'll probably want to frost only the tops of each layer, not the sides unless you double the amount of frosting. Or if two layers, you should have enough frosting for top, layer and also the sides.
Note 3
Another typo, right? Uh ... No! Crushed pineapple in this cake. Just make sure you drain it well. And feel free to drink that awesome pineapple juice. It's good for you! 
Note 4
You will not be using an electric mixer on the cake portion of this recipe. Stir with a nice big wooden (or other) spoon. Just make sure everything is mixed in very well. You will use your electric mixer for the frosting, however.
Note 5
Let's talk altitude. I live at a semi-high altitude in Northern Colorado. The altitude in my driveway is exactly 5,280 ft. (Sounds like mile-high to me!) My research suggests that it’s only above 7,500 ft. that we would need to make an adjustment to this recipe, like adding a bit more flour. At my altitude, I follow this recipe exactly.
Note 6
As for bake time, depending on your oven (and altitude for that matter) you might need to add or subtract a few minutes. That’s easy to determine if you use the toothpick method mentioned. Just do not overbake! This is a tender, lovely, moist cake and overbaking will spoil all of those characteristics!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 3880IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

First published: 3-15-16; Republished by popular request: 4-6-22

 

 

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55 replies
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  1. Carol Gesalman says:

    I left my husband and 95% of my “stuff”, including all my kitchen items. I have no round cake pans. Can this be made in a 13X9 pan? I love carrot cake and would really like to try this.
    Thanks for the information on altitude, Mary. I’m in Colorado now, at 4500 feet. I need all the help I can get, since I came from flat Ohio.

    Reply
  2. Patricia White says:

    I am questioning the length of time it will take to bake a cake for 8 servings as it would take to bake a cake for 16 servings and same number of cake pans

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      It’s ALWAYS a good idea to begin testing a cake using a toothpick or skewer when it look as it if it might be done … about 75% into the bake time. Ovens vary tremendously. Altitude affects the bake time and temperature, too. There is no one definitive set time. Consider cook and bake times suggestions, then proceed accordingly 🙂

      Reply
  3. Janelle says:

    Sadly, this was a colossal waste of time, energy, and ingredients. Never had cake sink like this before. They’re horrible. And I followed the recipe to the letter. One of them stuck so badly it’s in pieces. Absolutely ruined dessert tomorrow. Definitely won’t try this recipe again. Very sad.

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      So sorry to hear this Janelle. I can’t imagine what went wrong … it’s a recipe I make frequently and haven’t had the problem you describe.

      Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      I can’t guarantee the entirety of the batter will fit into a 9 x 13. If too much batter for your baking dish, make a couple of cupcakes! And yes, same temp but less time so check around the 45 min time, being careful to not overbake!

      Good luck!

      Reply
  4. Myrna says:

    I’ve just read the recipe and I’m sure it will be a winner because my Mom, born 1920, made a carrot and pineapple jello salad that was to die for, especially in winter. So I have experience with the carrot and pineapple combination. I’m sure it can’t be beat and I’m baking the cake tomorrow

    Reply
  5. Quanita says:

    I live in Dubai and have used this recipe 3 times and each time it came out perfect
    Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  6. Kelly says:

    What would happen if I didn’t put the pineapples at all? I’m making it for someone who is allergic to pineapples. Would I have to adjust any of the other ingredients?

    Reply
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