Happy Easter everyone! And if any of you don’t celebrate Easter, well happy excuse-to-eat-chocolate-day!!
Last year I made two Easter related posts: Easter cupcakes and Easter baskets, and it had occurred to me this afternoon I haven’t baked anything Easter related yet! I’ve been so busy with school that it totally slipped my mind. I have a Chocolate Rose Cake, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcakes and Vanilla with Buttercream Cupcakes to make Friday + I will be making two Grapefruit and Chocolate Macarons and Salted Caramel Popcorn Macarons on Sunday so I won’t have any time to bake any Easter related food items, so I thought I would do that today!
I thought it would be appropriate to make a carrot cake (duh!!) and I’ve actually never made carrot cake before. Not even carrot muffins, so I really wanted to experiment making carrot cake from scratch.
I am not a fan of raisins, NOPE so I did not put those in, however you obviously can if raisins are your thing!! I stuck with walnuts instead 🙂
I also debated on making cream cheese icing or buttercream, because I know you must have cream cheese icing if you’re making carrot cake, but I’m just not the biggest fan of it. I think it’s the cheese that gets me. But I decided to make it and MAN WHAT A GOOD IDEA GUYS. I HAVE CONVERTED TO CREAM CHEESE ICING. I think if you put a little extra vanilla extract in there, as well as 1/4 cup more icing sugar, it makes it a bit more sweet to counteract the cheese. But if you love the cream cheese icing as it is then you go for it, and just ignore everything I’m saying!
I really feel like I’ve rambled on, so I’m going to stop now.
Talk to you guys Friday, Saturday and Sunday for more recipes to come!
Have a wonderful Thursday. Xoxo.
carrot cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar, packed (or dark brown sugar)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil, or canola oil)
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) greek yogurt (or regular yogurt, plain or vanilla)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (260 grams) very finely grated carrots
- 3/4 cup pecan pieces
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9 or 10inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. I do not recommend a regular circle or square pan, as the cake may rise above. Set aside.
- Set out the cream cheese for the frosting so it may soften as you make the cake batter.
- Make the carrot cake: In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine the brown sugar and oil. Beat in the yogurt until fully combined – about 60 seconds. Mixture will be gritty and thick. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. With a spatula, manually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and all flour pockets are gone – do not overmix. Fold in the finely shredded carrots and pecan pieces. Pour or spoon batter into prepared springform pan.
- Bake cake for 32-38 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake, which will dry out cake. Check the cake at 30 minutes, then again at 32. My cake took exactly 34 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
Cream cheese icing
INGREDIENTS
- pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
directions
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended.
- Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until blended.
Social Media:
Source: Sallys Baking Addiction and Kraft
Great deco ! Love it ♡
Much appreciated thank you kindly!
Super cute, love the whiskers!
Hehe thanks bonnie!!!
Haha love this cake!
Thank you so much sarah!! 🙂
Love the bunny cake! I am the same way about raisins – no thanks!
Haha the worst, right?! Thank you!