Our family loves this kind of cake for birthdays, galas, anniversaries, anything special so we call it Celebration Carrot Cake.

This recipe makes a two or three-layer cake. The toasted nuts, either walnuts or pecans, add textural contrast and savory flavor to compliment the spices in the cake. I like to freeze the cake before I frost it to add moisture and a solid base when I frost it. The cream cheese frosting is not too sweet for a rich balance with the cake. This recipe is so easy; I think I started making it in high school.

Let’s Make the Cake

Today we’re going to make a two-layer cake. A successful cake-baking experience starts with pans that RELEASE the cake after baking. To ensure the release, I grease, flour, and line each pan. It’s worth the trouble to prevent the heartbreaking experience of a cake that is stuck in the pan and comes out in pieces!

I’m thinking ahead to the nuts, are yours toasted? If not, gather them up for a quick excursion in the oven. Your taste buds will thank you.

While the nuts are toasting, assemble ingredients for creaming with the mixer. Let’s start with sugar.

Then grab four eggs. Are you impressed with the turquoise-colored ones? Me too! They come from Shawna, the Ameraucana hen. Her eggs are always a beautiful turquoise color!

Next we’ll need a little vegetable oil.

Then we’ll add applesauce to add moistness to the cake and decrease our use of oil.

Finally, we can cream the sugar, eggs, oil, and applesauce until we have a smooth mixture. By now, you’ve removed the nuts from the oven and taste-tested for the proper amount of toasting.

Now it’s time to gather the dry ingredients starting top left corner going clockwise: allspice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the yummy spice mix of allspice and cinnamon with the soda, salt, and flour. Smells so good, a harbinger for what’s to come!

Now we’re going to grate and measure carrots.

Next we chop and measure the toasted nuts.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.

We’ve mixed the dry and wet ingredients, so now we’re going to fold in the carrots and nuts. To fold means, we’ll be adding these ingredients gently without unnecessary stirring and beating.

Is the oven nice and hot? It’s time to pour the cake batter in the pans.

Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Place the cakes on a metal rack to cool for 30 minutes. The metal rack allows cooling on top of and under the cake pans.

Remove cakes from pans and wrap with plastic wrap then place them in the freezer.

Let’s Make the Frosting

Cream room temperature butter. Cold butter won’t cream properly breaking into uneven chunks and pieces. This will take away all the joy of making and eating the frosting!

Now let’s add room temperature cream cheese. Again, cold cream cheese will impact the quality as in decreasing the softness and fluffiness of the frosting.

In this picture do you see the joy of room temperature butter and cream cheese? Everything is creaming marvelously.

We’re ready to add the vanilla.

Now toss in a pinch of salt.

Slowly add powdered sugar at a low speed; slowly, otherwise, you will have powder all over yourself and the kitchen.

Let’s Frost the Cake

Pull the frozen cake layers from the freezer and place the first cake layer top-down on Lazy Susan or revolving cake stand. You’ll feel like a professional if you can spin the cake as you work. If you’re like me and don’t have either, then a serving platter that you turn as you go works fine.

A large flat knife or spatula will spread the soft fluffy frosting easily since the cake is frozen and doesn’t crumble while you’re frosting.

Add the second cake layer again top down with the flat side up. Then continue to frost the top then the sides.

You can add texture to frosting by giving it a stucco swirl and lift. I like this “old world” look so that if there is any mistake, it will look intentional.

For the finishing touch, sprinkle on some chopped nuts and it will just look decadent.

Let’s Celebrate!

A piece of Celebration Carrot Cake with a scoop of old fashioned vanilla ice will be a party in your mouth!

Celebration Carrot Cake

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• Author: Angell Clark
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 16 small or 8 large/medium slice 1x

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Description

A deliciously simple recipe that we’ve had in our family for generations of celebrations! 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons soda
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• optional 1/2 cup chopped nuts for decorating

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Instructions

Two-layer cake

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease three cake pans and lightly dust with flour. Add parchment rounds to the bottom of the pans and grease as well.
2. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
3. Cream sugar, eggs, oil, and applesauce until smooth.
4. Combine in separate bowl soda, allspice, cinnamon, salt, flour. 
5. Grate carrots and chop nuts.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in carrots and nuts
7. Evenly distribute the batter into the two prepared cake pans.
8. Bake cakes for 50 – 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
9. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
10. Run a knife around sides of cake pans and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Cool completely.
11. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Freezing provides additional moistness and ease in frosting the next day.

Frosting 

1. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth then add vanilla extract and salt. 
2. At low speed gradually add powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy. 
3. With domed side down, place a cake layer on platter. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over top. Do this again to the second layer with remaining frosting over the top and sides. Add decorative swirls and additional chopped nuts for a festive look. 

Notes

If making a 3 layered cake, bake for 30-40 minutes. Double the frosting recipe for the extra layer. You won’t be sorry!

• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Carrot Cake, layered cake, cream cheese frosting, toasted nuts