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Classic Carrot Cake

9

  • Prep Time50 min
  • Total Time2 h 30 min
A classic carrot cake with candied carrots on a white cake stand. The carrot cake is made with cream cheese icing; the candied carrots are adorned with mint leafs to resemble carrot greens and made of an orange taffy candy tapered at one end and scored with a knife to look like a carrot for a post on a classic carrot cake recipe

(Photo: Erik Putz)

Decorate this show-stopping carrot cake with (easy!) candy carrots.

Carrot cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1½ tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ¼ tsp nutmeg

  • 4 eggs

  • 1¼ cups brown sugar

  • 1 cup canola oil

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 5 medium carrots, peeled and grated

Cream cheese icing

  • 3½ cups icing sugar

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 250-g pkg cream cheese, at room temperature

Candy carrots

  • Orange taffy candies

  • Fresh mint

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two 9-in. round cake pans with oil. Line bottom of pans with parchment.

  • Stir flour with cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl until combined.

  • Whisk eggs with brown sugar, oil and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in grated carrots. Fold in flour mixture until no streaks remain. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.

  • Bake in centre of oven until a cake tester inserted into centre of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Let cool 10 min, then turn cakes onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

  • For icing: Combine icing sugar with butter and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on low until combined, 1 min. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 5 min. Add cream cheese and beat on medium-high just until combined, 30 sec.

  • To ice the cake: Set one cake on a platter or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup icing, right to edge.

  • Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining icing on top of cake to the edge.

  • Decorate with candy carrots (instructions below).

  • How to make candy carrots: Microwave an orange taffy candy until soft, 10 to 12 sec. Roll into a ball and then into a log, tapering one end. Gently press ridges into carrots with the back of a paring knife. Stick a mint stem in the other end.

To make ahead:

Iced cake will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days. Make candy carrots and decorate cake just before serving, so the mint stays fresh.

Get more of our best Easter baking recipes.

For a more-decadent take on a classic carrot cake, try our carrot cake with fluffy white-chocolate icing recipe.

Get all our best cake recipes.

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