The Only Carrot Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need (Orange Twist!)
About this recipe
This carrot cake recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves a moist, flavorful dessert. With a delightful orange twist, it brings a fresh and zesty flavor to the classic treat. The creator emphasizes the importance of getting the baking powder right to avoid tough layers, ensuring that every bite is light and fluffy.
Ingredient notes
- Carrots – about 3–4 medium carrots (300 g or 10 oz)
- Eggs – room temperature preferred; if cold, warm them in water
- Sugar – 1 cup (200 g)
- All-purpose flour – 2 cups (250 g)
- Baking powder – 2 heaping teaspoons (10 g)
- Baking soda – 1 teaspoon (5 g)
- Vegetable oil – ¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml)
- Walnuts – 1 cup (100 g), finely chopped
- Orange zest – from 1 orange, optional
- Nutmeg – ½ teaspoon, optional
- Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon, optional, but highly recommended!
- Butter – 3.5 oz (100 g), softened, for frosting
- Cream cheese – 12 oz (340 g), Philadelphia or similar
- Powdered sugar – 1 cup (120 g)
- Heavy cream – ¼ cup (60 ml), optional for frosting
- Caramelized walnuts – 1 cup (100 g), optional
- Sugar – 3 tbsp (50 g) for caramelized walnuts
- Water – 2 tbsp (25 ml) for caramelized walnuts
- Butter – 5 g for shine, optional
- Fresh orange juice – about ⅓ cup (100 ml) for orange syrup
- Sugar – 3 tbsp (50 g) for orange syrup
Tips from Whisk Takers’s video
- Grate the carrots using a fine grater for the best texture.
- Sift the dry ingredients together to ensure even distribution of baking powder and soda, which is crucial for the cake's rise.
- When mixing the eggs and sugar, beat for 3-5 minutes on medium speed for lighter layers or 1-2 minutes on low speed for denser layers.
- Add the dry ingredients gradually to the wet mixture to avoid lumps in the batter.
- For a lighter frosting, whip in heavy cream after mixing the butter and cream cheese.
Good to know
- How long do I bake the carrot cake?
- Bake at 320°F (160°C) for about 1 hour.
- What size cake pans should I use?
- Use two 9-inch (20 cm) baking pans.
- What if I want to add more flavor to the cake?
- You can add the zest of one orange, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for extra flavor.
- How can I ensure my cake layers are even?
- Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter evenly between the pans.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Whisk Takers: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Grate 3 or 4 medium carrots (about 10 oz) using a fine grater.
- 2
In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 heaping teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Sift together.
- 3
Grease two 9-inch baking pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 4
In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of sugar and 4 eggs. Beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes for light layers or 1-2 minutes on low speed for denser layers.
- 5
Mix in just under 1 cup of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth.
- 6
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in rounds, mixing until combined without lumps.
- 7
In another bowl, combine the grated carrots, 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts, the zest of 1 orange (optional), ½ teaspoon of nutmeg (optional), and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix well.
- 8
Gradually fold the carrot mixture into the batter until evenly combined.
- 9
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- 10
Bake in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for about 1 hour.
- 11
While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by beating 3.5 oz of softened butter until light and fluffy.
- 12
Add 12 oz of cream cheese and a drop of vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- 13
Gradually add 1 cup of powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until dissolved, then beat on medium speed until fluffy.
- 14
If desired, whip in ¼ cup of heavy cream for a lighter texture.
- 15
Once the cakes are done, let them cool in the pans for a bit before transferring to a wire rack.
- 16
Assemble the cake by placing one layer on a plate, brushing with orange syrup (optional), and spreading frosting on top.
- 17
Add the second layer, brush with syrup, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
- 18
If desired, caramelize additional walnuts by heating 3 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of water in a pan until dissolved, then stir in the walnuts until coated and cool on parchment paper.
- 19
Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 4 hours before serving.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for the orange zest is inferred as it is optional and not specified in the transcript.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Whisk Takers’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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