Carrot Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
To celebrate Susanality turning THREE! 🥕
It’s hard to believe it’s been three whole years since I started writing this newsletter! I was a bit of a pioneer here, and these days there are many Substack newsletters to choose from, which makes me even more grateful that you’re all here.
To celebrate the occasion, I’m going to give away THREE free one-year subscriptions today. All you have to do is comment on this post as to WHY you want to have a full-access subscription and I’ll choose three people at random (one for each year that I’ve been publishing). If you’re already a paid subscriber, you can enter to win a gift subscription!
I’d also love to learn more about you, and what you would like to see here in the weeks, months, and years to come, so am including a short survey today. I hope you’ll take a moment to complete it (it will take two minutes max). I'd really appreciate it!
OK now onto the food!
It seemed fitting to share a treat with you today — after all, what’s a celebration without cake? I considered a towering coconut cake, which is one of my specialties, but I thought a springy single-layer carrot cake that’s fancy enough for your Easter gatherings but humble enough to make just because, well, cake, would be better for today.
My first experience with carrot cake was in the late ‘70s (dating myself, I know!) when it was in its heyday. I was working my first job in food at a seminal restaurant in Philadelphia called The Commissary, where one of my duties was to slice and plate desserts so customers could grab what they wanted (just like in a Wayne Thiebaut painting!).
These were no ordinary cafeteria desserts even though they were served cafeteria style. When you messed up slicing a cake, those imperfect slices were “staffed.” Carrot cake was pretty easy to slice compared to some of the others, but I still “staffed” myself a piece when a craving struck. I also loved wandering up to the bakery on the second floor to watch the bakers do their thing. I was in awe of the giant Hobart mixer and the skill and ease with which these bakers moved, as well as their sheer output. The Commissary carrot cake was three layers tall as I remember it, with a gooey coconut and pecan filling, and, of course, cream cheese frosting.
The cake I’m sharing with you today is only one layer and fairly easy to put together; it’s a simple “combine wet and dry ingredients” situation. The most time-consuming part is probably adding all the different spices, which you could shortcut by using 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie or apple pie spice instead of the individual spices, though the flavor won’t be exactly the same. I iced only the top, giving it a homey look, but the frosting makes enough to coat the sides too if that’s the look you’re going for. You can make it in a 9-inch square or a 9-inch round. Again, your choice.
If your pecans are already crispy, you can skip the toasting step. The flavor won’t be exactly as wonderful, but still wonderful. I find sometimes pecans are kinda soft when you buy them, in which case you really should toast them first.
As far as decorations, you can leave it plain, sprinkle it with more chopped pecans, some toasted coconut, or add classic small carrots going around the perimeter. These are easy to pipe on using a plain pastry tip. You can add some green icing using a leaf tip if you want, or use a bit of parsley or real carrot tops, as I did here. I also made a version where I used an offset spatula to scrape on the orange icing in the shape of a giant carrot, which I thought was kind of charming. What do you think?
No matter what, this cake is moist and only gets better as it sits. You can ice it and refrigerate it a few days ahead of time, and it will be perfect. Just let it come back to room temperature before serving, though it’s pretty good cold from the fridge too. The frosting has just a fraction of the sugar compared to a classic cream cheese frosting, but I find it’s plenty sweet enough.
I hope you’ll try this delicious cake (click above to see it in action!). And thank you again for being part of the Susanality community. If you like today’s post, I’d be so very grateful if you would spread the word (via social media, text, email, word of mouth — however!), to your friends and family.
xx
Susan
Some tips and subs:
Use an Ateco #12 plain tip to pipe the mini carrots. Squeeze at the beginning, then taper off the end by releasing the pressure and pulling to form the tip of the carrot.
Do use a box grater to grate the carrots. The finer texture is better for the cake (as opposed to using a food processor).
Wear your cut-proof glove while grating the carrots to avoid accidents.
You can sub up to 25% of the flour with whole-wheat flour.
Sub any portion of the vegetable oil with light olive oil or walnut oil, if you’d like.
Use walnuts instead of pecans, if you wish.
If your pecans are not crisp and crunchy out of the package, make sure to toast them.
Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie or apple pie spice instead of all the individual spices, if you’re pressed for time.
Carrot Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Serves 8 to 10
For the cake:
Unsalted butter, for the pan
1 ½ cups (192 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for the flouring pan
1 ½ cups (150 g) pecans
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable or light olive oil
1/2 cup (101 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
Generous grating of nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (from 4 to 6 carrots)
3/4 cup golden raisins
For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (a mix of red and yellow, or an orange shade), just enough to tint orange
Carrot greens (or parsley sprigs, or frosting that you’ve colored green), to add the carrot tops
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x9-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper, butter the parchment, and flour the pan, tapping out excess.
Place the pecans on a small baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and turning golden brown. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Stir in the carrots, raisins, and toasted pecans.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top springs back when touched, the cake is turning brown around the edges, and a toothpick comes out dry. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack, peel off parchment, and let cool completely. When cooled, invert onto a serving platter.
To make the frosting: Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Cream the cream cheese until very smooth, then add the butter, confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat until well combined and fluffy.
Set aside about 1/2 cup of frosting and tint it orange using a combo of red and yellow food coloring or an orange shade. Spread the white frosting over the top of the cake almost to the edges.
Use a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip to pipe little squiggles of orange around the edges of the cake or to pipe on mini carrots (see the “tips + subs” section for more information). Or use an offset spatula to layer on the orange frosting in the shape of a carrot. Use carrot greens to top the carrot(s). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
I used a combination of orange gel food coloring and a little “pumpkin” to bring down the brightness.
Editor: Molly Ramsey
Thanks Susan. I am a happy subscriber. And I remember you! I passed this along to Anne who is the mother of The Commissary Cake Cake. Steve P.
It seems to me Susan that you’re very committed to your work. I trust that when I try one of your recipes I’ll get a good outcome and I know that’s due to the time and effort you put in. Good on you, keep it up.