Description
This Old Fashioned Carrot Cake is a classic, moist cake rich with shredded carrots and textured with coconut flakes, balanced with warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. It’s perfectly paired with a smooth cream cheese frosting for a nostalgic dessert that’s ideal for tea time or any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons more to coat baking pans)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
Add-ins
- 1 cup coconut flakes (or 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans)
- 2 cups shredded carrots
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
- 4 large eggs
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Pans: Grease 2 round 8-inch baking pans with vegetable oil and coat them with flour. Trace two circles on parchment paper using one pan and cut them out. Place one parchment circle at the bottom of each pan to prevent sticking.
- Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (176°C) to ensure it reaches the proper baking temperature before inserting the cake batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer on low speed, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and the cinnamon or nutmeg powder until well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Mix: Incorporate coconut flakes, shredded carrots, vegetable oil, eggs, and unsweetened apple sauce into the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Fill Pans and Bake: Evenly distribute the batter between the two prepared baking pans. Optionally, wrap pans with baking strips to prevent over-browning. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, approximately one hour, before frosting.
Notes
- This recipe features classic carrot cake flavors enhanced with coconut flakes, which add a delightful texture and tropical hint.
- Perfect for an afternoon tea or as a comforting dessert for family gatherings.
- Using baking strips helps to ensure an even bake and prevents domed cake tops.
- Allow cakes to fully cool before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
- You can substitute coconut flakes with chopped walnuts or pecans for a nutty variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 714
- Sugar: 44 g
- Sodium: 381 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 121 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
