World's best carrot-cake recipe

[Ling]

I don't squeeze.

[chefpeon]

Every carrot cake recipe I have used COUNTED on the extra moisture in the carrots to thin the batter out. As I mix, the batter is super thick, then when the carrots are added, it thins out quite a bit, which is what is supposed to happen. I've never heard of squeezing grated carrots...yipes! Man if I had to do that with the large batches I make, I'd never get anything else done!

I think Anita's right......if your cake is soggy, you may have too many carrots in there.

[DragonflyDesserts]

Carrot cake has been the basis of my business and it is a simple recipe from Betty Crocker. It uses three cups of fresh grated carrots and I have gotten rave reviews from this cake. I sell both retail and wholesale. I've been tempted many times to try some "gourmet" version with all the extras but remind myself to stick with what works.

[browniebaker]

MightyD's not dreaming this: she really did see a Cook's Illustrated recipe for carrot cake that calls for squeezing the juice out after maacertaing the grated carrots in sugar. I saw it, too.

The rationale given was that removing the water concentrates the carrot flavor.

I have never tried doing that, though. It seems a waste to squeeze out, inevitably, some of the flavor; and I am perfectly happy with the traditional, no-squeeze, carrot-cake recipe.

[MightyD]

so the cake stays perfectly moist without squeezing (ie doesn't get soggy) after days? my recipe (which i got from one of Maida Heatter's books) tastes SOOO good but gets SOOOO soggy.

makes me sad to have to look for another recipe - although the Frog Commissary recipe looks very promising ....

[Ling]

^I use the Frog Commissary recipe (with some modifications to the frosting and the pecan filling) and it's excellent. It doesn't get soggy after a few days.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Ling (log)

[ScorchedPalate]

I have no idea whether the Cook's recipe gets soggy after a few days. It's so good, it never lasts that long.

[claire797]

I've never squeezed carrots. It's probably something you should do in some recipes depending on the volume of other liquids.

I do have another question, though. On occassion, I've been lazy and have resorted to using pre-shredded packaged carrots. The cake tastes fine the first day, but by the second day, shreds of carrot in the cake turn green. It's pretty disgusting because it looks like the cake is infested with tiny green worms. I'm never using pre-shredded, packaged carrots again (obviously), but am curious to know what causes this.

[Char]

I've never squeezed carrots.  It's probably something you should do in some recipes depending on the volume of other liquids.

I do have another question, though.  On occassion, I've been lazy and have resorted to using pre-shredded packaged carrots.  The cake tastes fine the first day, but by the second day, shreds of carrot in the cake turn green.  It's pretty disgusting because it looks like the cake is infested with tiny green worms.  I'm never using pre-shredded, packaged carrots again (obviously), but am curious to know what causes this.

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The carrots may have a preservative added that will react with either the baking soda or walnuts in your recipe. If neither are present, then I'm stumped. If it helps, I've gotten rid of the problem by roasting the carrots in a hot oven for about 15-20 minutes before I add them to the batter.

But I have a different complaint regarding pre-shredded carrots--they are hard, dry, and tasteless. They are so dry that I have to add liquid (usually pineapple juice) to the batter to thin it out. I'd shred fresh carrots but I don't have time to eat, let alone shred 15 pounds of carrots by hand. Of course, I'd use the robot coupe but the plastic guard went MIA a few weeks ago. Who knows when he'll return...

[claire797]

Char, that's interesting. I'm sure you are right and that it's some preservative reacting with the other ingredients. Wonder what it is.

But I've learned my lesson and plan on using fresh carrots in my next carrot cake.

[chefpeon]

But I have a different complaint regarding pre-shredded carrots--they are hard, dry, and tasteless. They are so dry that I have to add liquid (usually pineapple juice) to the batter to thin it out. I'd shred fresh carrots but I don't have time to eat, let alone shred 15 pounds of carrots by hand. Of course, I'd use the robot coupe but the plastic guard went MIA a few weeks ago. Who knows when he'll return...

OH!!!

You are SO RIGHT about the pre-shredded carrots being dry and weird! I too, have to use so many shredded carrots that it's cheaper to buy them in pre-shredded, than to run carrots through a teeny tiny feed tube on a freakin' CUISINART. There is no Robot-Coupe where I work!

Guess what I found out by accident though! If I freeze the pre-shredded carrots, and then thaw them, they are way juicier! Try it!

Oh, and I'll add this......I use my pre-shreds to make a Morning Glory Muffin batter, which is real similar to carrot cake. There is baking soda in my recipe (no walnuts), but I've never seen my carrot shreds turn green........

Edited September 7, 2005 by chefpeon (log)

[claire797]

Oh, and I'll add this......I use my pre-shreds to make a Morning Glory Muffin batter, which is real similar to carrot cake. There is baking soda in my recipe (no walnuts), but I've never seen my carrot shreds turn green........

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Maybe it's the brand of carrots I'm using? I wish I knew. It's just too weird.

Thanks for the tip on freezing the carrots. Maybe when I have time, I'll shred a bunch of carrots and throw them in the freezer for a day when I'm in need of a carrot cake.

[snacky_cat]

I just finished making the Frog Commissary recipe on Ling's recommendation and it turned out wonderfully! Like a few others on here, I skipped the pecan cream filling in favour of the cream cheese icing and baked the cake in 2 8" rounds. I prefer a tangier icing, so I reduced the powdered sugar a fair amount, adding a small amount at a time until I was happy with the taste. I put a bit of orange extract in too.

It turned out quite well - very moist and a perfect density - not too heavy, not too fluffy. Mr. Cat gobbled up a large slice the second it was frosted and declared it a success. I haven't baked or iced a cake in donkey's years, so I was totally chuffed at the outcome.

Some pictures (Patirck S - how did you get that amazing close-up a few posts above? I tried 10 shots and none came remotely close, macro mode or otherwise!)

The batter - appropriate Halloween colours:

One of the cakes next to the frosting:

The finished beast:

[Ling]

^Nice job!

[Chef Metcalf]

Did anyone notice that the commissary recipe left out the amount of baking soda to be used in the ingredients list?

Yet it says to stir in both baking powder and baking soda in the directions.

Okay, I've put in the baking powder, should I omit the baking soda or put in about the same amount of the soda?

I'm just so not a baking person, can you give me some help?

[snacky_cat]

Did anyone notice that the commissary recipe left out the amount of baking soda to be used in the ingredients list?

Yet it says to stir in both baking powder and baking soda in the directions.

Okay, I've put in the baking powder, should I omit the baking soda or put in about the same amount of the soda?

I'm just so not a baking person, can you give me some help?

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I added 1tsp of baking soda as suggested in the comments on the foodgeek recipe page and it worked out perfectly!

Carrot cake is Mr Cat's favourite thing in the world, and he declared this the best recipe he's had yet.

[Chef Metcalf]

Thanks S Cat. I didn't scrolled down!

[Mooshmouse]

Oooooh, snackette... for a girl who says that she can't cook, that carrot cake is pretty durn impressive! I didn't know you had it in ya'!

[Abra]

I need to do a carrot cake for 50 (20 of whom are kids), and thought I'd use the Frog Commissary cake, which I haven't tried but so many of you really like. They want raisins and pineapple, but no nuts. I see that Patrick did this variation, so I know it'll work. I'm thinking 2 half sheets (oven size limitation), no filling, lots of frosting at their request. Does that sound like 4x the recipe as written? Any suggestions about how much pineapple the cake can take withough getting soggy? And since the filling seems to be runny, would it make a good plate-squiggle, or would I be better off with a little caramel sauce?

[Ling]

I think 4x the recipe would be fine, since each cake serves about 12 quite generously. I'm not sure the filling would make a good plate squiggle, because it's quite lumpy with the nuts...I don't think it would look too attractive on the plate. I'm not sure about the crowd you're baking for...caramel sauce would be nice for kids, and roasted carrot jam would be a cool idea for the grown-ups.

[FoodMan]

Does carrot cake really have to have carrots? Seriously. I love it but it has zero carrotiness in it. I have this theory that almost any vegetable would work especially zucchini, parsnips, beets, broccoli, maybe even cut the vegetables out altogether.

Sorry, I know this probably does not help anyone but this thread popped up right after we just finished arguing about this over a very tasty carrot cake that a coworker brought in. It was choke full of nuts and raisins and very moist. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, oh yeah and I think it had carrots in it .

Ok, back to the search for the perfect cake.

edit: typos

[Ling]

^The vegetables add moisture...and carrots are sweeter than zucchini, though I haven't tried a zucchini cake yet. I'll admit I'm not feelin' the broccoli cake There's a recipe for beet cake in one of Jaime Oliver's cookbooks...it's called "Surprise cake". I think carrot cake without the carrots is just a spice cake with add-ins.

Edited October 28, 2005 by Ling (log)

[FoodMan]

^The vegetables add moisture...and carrots are sweeter than zucchini, though I haven't tried a zucchini cake yet. I'll admit I'm not feelin' the broccoli cake  There's a recipe for beet cake in one of Jaime Oliver's cookbooks...it's called "Surprise cake". I think carrot cake without the carrots is just a spice cake with add-ins. 

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Ah...you are right. J. Oliver does have a beet cake recipe. I'm going to try it and bring it to work see if it can pass as a carrot cake. aLthough the maroon color might give it away .

[Patrick S]

Does carrot cake really have to have carrots? Seriously. I love it but it has zero carrotiness in it. I have this theory that almost any vegetable would work especially zucchini, parsnips, beets, broccoli, maybe even cut the vegetables out altogether.

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Carrot cake needs carrots like triangles need three sides -- you could leave out the carrots, and you may have a fine cake, but it won't be a carrot cake! Seriously though, carrots do serve an important function -- they ameliorate the guilt you might otherwise experience after eating massive quantities of cream cheese icing.

I do hope you'll try swapping broccoli for carrots and post some pictures of the experiment -- its so close to Halloween, and I would love to behold something hideous and terrifying.

[FoodMan]

Does carrot cake really have to have carrots? Seriously. I love it but it has zero carrotiness in it. I have this theory that almost any vegetable would work especially zucchini, parsnips, beets, broccoli, maybe even cut the vegetables out altogether.

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Carrot cake needs carrots like triangles need three sides -- you could leave out the carrots, and you may have a fine cake, but it won't be a carrot cake! Seriously though, carrots do serve an important function -- they ameliorate the guilt you might otherwise experience after eating massive quantities of cream cheese icing.

I do hope you'll try swapping broccoli for carrots and post some pictures of the experiment -- its so close to Halloween, and I would love to behold something hideous and terrifying.

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Are you calling my broccoli cake "hideous and terrifying" before even trying it or seeing it! What a grave insult .

...ok, broccoli might be stretching it a bit, but I definitly want to try the beet version in J. Oliver's book. If I remember correctly. it does look very good with a deep dark red color.