This is the ULTIMATE Carrot Cake Recipe
I have been waiting to share this most incredible carrot cake recipe you guys and I can just feel that today is the day! This is the perfect time of year to make an out-of-this-world, show-stopping carrot cake with Easter right around the corner. But this carrot cake would truly be amazing any time of year--I just think if you’ve got any springtime celebrations, this is the cake you should bring to wow the guests.
I found it from the Our Best Bites blog, but it actually comes from an old cookbook that Sarah from Our Best Bites says is her very favorite all around cookbook ever. This cookbook is called “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook” and was first published back in 1999. While it is full of hundreds upon hundreds of recipes, there were several mentions of the carrot cake in the Amazon reviews of this cookbook, so I think that really shows you how good this is. I ordered a used version of the cookbook, so I can’t wait to check it out and share any exceptional recipes I find with you guys. It was also mentioned that there are so many great tips and tricks in this particular cookbook so I will definitely pass along any of those nuggets I find as well.
Now let’s get back to this amazing carrot cake--Sarah describes it as “death by sugar” and says that it’s not just any carrot cake. It is to carrot cake what “Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs are to eggs” ha! You see, this is because after baking your delicious, moist carrot cake layers, filled with plenty of carrots, crushed pineapple and coconut flakes, you will drizzle a decadent buttermilk glaze over the warm cakes that will soak in the cakes and THEN you add your cream cheese frosting. You could probably go into a sugar coma just thinking about this cake :)
It is best served when stored in the fridge and then brought to room temperature right before serving. It is quite a decadent and time consuming cake to make, so to make things easier you can make the soaked cakes ahead of time and frost it the day you are planning to serve it.
What is your favorite ultimate cookbook (virtual or physical) that you use on a regular basis? Are you a fan of carrot cake? If so, I’m sure you will love this extra rich “carrot cake supreme” like my family did.
CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oils
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
BUTTERMILK GLAZE:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
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I found it from the Our Best Bites blog, but it actually comes from an old cookbook that Sarah from Our Best Bites says is her very favorite all around cookbook ever. This cookbook is called “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook” and was first published back in 1999. While it is full of hundreds upon hundreds of recipes, there were several mentions of the carrot cake in the Amazon reviews of this cookbook, so I think that really shows you how good this is. I ordered a used version of the cookbook, so I can’t wait to check it out and share any exceptional recipes I find with you guys. It was also mentioned that there are so many great tips and tricks in this particular cookbook so I will definitely pass along any of those nuggets I find as well.
Now let’s get back to this amazing carrot cake--Sarah describes it as “death by sugar” and says that it’s not just any carrot cake. It is to carrot cake what “Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs are to eggs” ha! You see, this is because after baking your delicious, moist carrot cake layers, filled with plenty of carrots, crushed pineapple and coconut flakes, you will drizzle a decadent buttermilk glaze over the warm cakes that will soak in the cakes and THEN you add your cream cheese frosting. You could probably go into a sugar coma just thinking about this cake :)
It is best served when stored in the fridge and then brought to room temperature right before serving. It is quite a decadent and time consuming cake to make, so to make things easier you can make the soaked cakes ahead of time and frost it the day you are planning to serve it.
What is your favorite ultimate cookbook (virtual or physical) that you use on a regular basis? Are you a fan of carrot cake? If so, I’m sure you will love this extra rich “carrot cake supreme” like my family did.
Carrot Cake Supreme
This dense, rich, old-fashioned carrot cake recipe is perfect for any springtime celebration (or really, anytime!)
Serving size: 16
Calories per serving: 693
Ingredients:
Calories per serving: 693
CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oils
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
BUTTERMILK GLAZE:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease and flour 2 9? cake pans. Set aside.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla on high speed until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the carrots. Fold in the pineapple, coconut, and pecans (if using). Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cakes and then cool the cakes completely on a wire rack. When the cakes are cool, tear four thin strips of parchment or wax paper or aluminum foil and make a square on the serving plate. Place one layer on top of the square. Prepare the cream cheese frosting and spread some frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Place another layer on top of the frosted layer. Frost the entire cake with cream cheese frosting and decorate with coconut and chopped pecans if desired. For best presentation, refrigerate overnight before serving.
NOTES
This cake has many steps and can be overwhelming to make all at once. The cake layers can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen (in the pan, with the buttermilk glaze) before icing the cake.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla on high speed until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the carrots. Fold in the pineapple, coconut, and pecans (if using). Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the buttermilk glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cakes and then cool the cakes completely on a wire rack. When the cakes are cool, tear four thin strips of parchment or wax paper or aluminum foil and make a square on the serving plate. Place one layer on top of the square. Prepare the cream cheese frosting and spread some frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Place another layer on top of the frosted layer. Frost the entire cake with cream cheese frosting and decorate with coconut and chopped pecans if desired. For best presentation, refrigerate overnight before serving.
NOTES
This cake has many steps and can be overwhelming to make all at once. The cake layers can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen (in the pan, with the buttermilk glaze) before icing the cake.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Mary Richardson
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! mary@dvo.com
