My parents had a difficult time choosing their top layer for their wedding cake. They’d decided on chocolate and vanilla for the other two tiers but couldn’t quite agree on a third flavor that both of them liked. On my mom’s birthday, my Obaachan (Japanese grandmother) decided to make her some carrot cake and my dad was invited over to enjoy it as well. The way my parents tell it, both of their eyes lit up and they agreed to make carrot cake the top tier within minutes.
This year was my parent’s 20th wedding anniversary. I was looking through my mom’s old cookbook, wondering what cake I should make them (as I had made different ones each year to commemorate their anniversary) when I stumbled onto this recipe. What I didn’t know was that it had been the very recipe my Obaachan had made for them. They were— and unsurprisingly so— delighted when they saw the cake. And, after we ate some, we found that not only was it sweet in memory but in taste as well!
Since that day, I have made this cake several times and have added my own touches to it and changed up the recipe.
This carrot cake is very filling and has a sweet, vintage-y taste to it. It’s quite easy to bake and takes only an hour to make, minus the baking time.
INGREDIENTS
For this cake, you will need…
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups salad oil (canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, etc. all work)
- 1 1/4~2 cups of brown sugar, depending on the sweetness you want
- 3 cups grated carrots (if possible, grate them in a machine. It saves a lot of time)
For the frosting you will need…
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) cream cheese
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) Greek yoghurt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (add more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
If the frosting is not solid enough, you can add unflavored gelatin to thicken it. This can be done by 1. Making gelatin and letting it sit until cool 2. Adding 1/2 tablespoon at a time to the frosting. At most, you should be adding 1 1/2 tablespoons. Each time after you add a 1/2 tablespoon, whisk the mixture 3. Put the mixture in the fridge to chill for at least 10 minutes before applying it to the cake.
DIRECTIONS
Step 1- In a blender, blend together the salad oil and the grated carrots.
Step 2- Beat eggs (I recommend doing this in a mixer instead of by hand so that your eggs turn out fluffier).
Step 3- Add sugar to the beat eggs and mix in well.
Step 4- Mix together cinnamon, baking soda, flour, and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 5- In the sugar-egg mixture, alternately add the carrot-oil mixture and your dry ingredient mixture from the previous step. Make sure to completely mix each time. It is okay if there are small chunks of carrots are still visible.
Step 6- Bake the cake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes OR separate the batter into 3 containers and bake them separately at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes (I recommend option 1, especially if you want a better-looking cake).
Step 7- Let the cake cool and, if you chose option 1 in step 6, cut the cake in equal thirds through the cake’s sides. Make sure that you are cutting the cake evenly. If you chose option 2, stack the three cakes on top of each other and use a pot pan or another circular object to create a circular template. Cut any bits of the cake that hang out from the template shape and cut in a downward motion.
Step 8- Take some of the frosting and spread it evenly in between the cake layers. Spread frosting on top and on the sides of the cake. In order to do this smoothly, use a cake smoother or an offset spatula if you have one. If you don’t, you can always use the backside of a knife to achieve the same look.
Step 9- Top the cake with chopped pecans.
And you’re done! This cake is pretty dense and filling so you can expect it to serve around 12 people. It’s a great (and healthier) alternative to a lot of cakes out there and it’s fancy at the same time!