I never really gave carrot cakes much thought until I came to Singapore. Cedele bakery in Singapore kind of opened my eyes to them with their really good carrot cakes with tons of walnuts in them. For the longest time, I really believed that they had the best carrot cake in Singapore!
Until one day I saw this box in our office pantry labeled “Sample for Google Employees”. Inside was an 8″ carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that was still cold from the fridge. I took half a slice, brought it back to my desk and forgot about it for the next couple of hours. Big mistake!
Eventually, when I did end up taking a bite, it was a virtual explosion of taste and texture in my mouth. That is hands down the best carrot cake I have ever tasted! If you are in Singapore and you wouldn’t mind a carrot cake changing your life forever, order one from Calendar’s.
Anyway, all this carrot cake overload made me want to bake my own and I was aiming for a moist, dense, yet soft one like they baked at Calendar’s. The following recipe worked great!By the way, you may also be interested in this great banana cake with cream cheese frosting that I love. Or maybe a chocolate fudge cake?
Moist Carrot Cake Recipe a la Calendar’s Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour / maida
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon (not optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional but really adds flavour)
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used veg oil with carotene which explains the deep orange colour of my carrot cake)
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk or buttermilk (I used milk)
1.5 cups peeled, shredded carrots
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
How to make Moist Carrot Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350F / 180C
2. Butter and flour a cake pan of choice. I used my 8″ square baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and allspice. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl or using your stand-mixer, whisk the eggs, oil, both sugars and milk (or buttermilk) until blended. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold in carrots and walnuts.
4. Transfer to your greased and floured baking tin. Bake about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and let cook completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
I always use my own eye-balled measurement for frosting. Most of the frosting recipes I come across have too much sugar and since I don’t ever pipe on icing to cakes (I prefer the slathering technique), I just follow what I want to put together frosting, tasting as I go.
Ingredients:
Half a block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (about 125gm) – at room temperature
4 tbsp unsalted butter – at room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup icing sugar (taste as you go and stop when its sweet enough)
1 tsp vanilla extract
How I Made It:
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add the sugar and vanilla and beat until blended. You can do this by hand or using an electric beater. Spread evenly over the cooled carrot cake and serve immediately. I prefer a thin layer but go with what your heart says!
Refrigerate remaining cake for up to 4 days but make sure you bring to room temperature before serving.
You may also like this tutti frutti cake or a lovely apple streusel cake.
One of the best recipe of carrot cake .I uave been making this for years ..n it comes out so perfect every time.
Thank you!
Tried carrot cake today and it turned out awesome Nags :)…a keeper of a recipe. Would have attached the pics i had taken too, but no attachment provision.
aww bummer! do tag me on instagram if you are on there 🙂
Fabulous cake!!!! We amused our party with this wonderful cake, Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. Thanks alot!!!!!!!
Hello Nags….this recipe looks quite interesting and want to give it go. I have one question though…do you think I can replace the eggs with the std subsititution of flour, oil, buttermilk, baking powder etc…I mean apart from the eggs, the recipe itself calls for the addition of baking powder, soda, oil, buttermilk etc etc. won’t the baking soda and powder be too much?
the baking powder and soda you use to replace eggs should be in addition to the standard addition. yes, the cake may taste a bit “chemical” if there’s too much leavening but that’s something you have to try out when subbing out eggs.