Einstein Carrot Cake

A piece of cake sitting on top of a table

4.13 from 87 votes

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

Cook Time35

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 609kcal

Author: Everyday Cheapskate

Cost: Varies

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