Description
Paula Deen’s carrot cake combines Southern charm with tropical pineapple sweetness. Moist layers are crowned with cream cheese frosting that will delight cake enthusiasts at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 (8 oz/226 g) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick (113 g) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 (16 oz/454 g) box powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (226 g) chopped pecans, divided (optional)
Instructions
- Prep Station: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans, lining bottoms with parchment paper for seamless cake release.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Batter Development: Incorporate eggs and vegetable oil into dry ingredients, blending with a hand mixer until smooth. Gently fold in grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans, ensuring even distribution throughout the mixture.
- Baking Process: Evenly distribute batter across prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick. Allow cakes to rest in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Frosting Creation: Whip cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Optional: mix in additional chopped nuts for textural complexity.
- Cake Assembly: Once completely cooled, layer cakes with frosting on a serving plate. Generously coat entire cake with remaining frosting, creating a smooth finish. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped pecans for added visual appeal and crunch.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better cake texture.
- Moisture Magic: Drain pineapple thoroughly to prevent excess liquid from making the cake soggy and compromising its structure.
- Nut Tip: Toast pecans briefly before chopping to enhance their rich, nutty flavor and add depth to the cake.
- Frosting Finesse: Chill cream cheese and butter slightly before mixing to achieve a perfectly smooth, spreadable frosting consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 47 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg