Ingredients
For the pan
- 1 teaspoon canola oil about 4.5 g
Carrot cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300 g; spooned into the cup and leveled, or weigh for consistency
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 g; double-acting
- 1 teaspoon baking soda about 4.6 g
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 3 g
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon about 5.2 g
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg about 1.1 g
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
- 1 cup light brown sugar 200 g, lightly packed
- 1 cup canola oil 218 g / 240 ml
- 4 large eggs about 200 g without shells
- 1/2 cup cultured low-fat buttermilk 120 ml
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
- 350 g peeled carrots, finely grated about 3 cups, depending on grating and packing; use the weight when possible; do not squeeze dry
Cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese 227 g, softened but still cool; not whipped or spreadable tub cheese
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 57 g, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar 240 g, sifted if lumpy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan, at least 2 inches deep
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen scale and measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater with fine holes
- Two large mixing bowls
- Whisk and flexible spatula
- Electric hand mixer
- Wire cooling rack
- Toothpick or thin cake tester
- Long knife
Instructions
Bake and frost
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with the 1 teaspoon of oil, then line the bottom and two sides with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting.
- Peel and finely grate the carrots, weighing 350 g after trimming and grating. Do not squeeze out their moisture. Measure the remaining ingredients. Let the eggs and buttermilk lose their refrigerator chill briefly while you prepare the bowls.
- In one large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly distributed. Break up any small flour lumps.
- In the second bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and 1 cup of oil until combined. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Fold with a flexible spatula just until only a few streaks of flour remain, then fold in the grated carrots until no dry flour is visible. Scrape into the prepared pan and level the surface. Do not taste the raw batter.
- Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes, beginning to check at 40 minutes. The center should spring back lightly and a tester inserted into the center should come out without wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine. Set the pan on a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. Ovens and pan materials vary; use the doneness cues rather than the clock alone.
- When the cake is cool, beat the softened butter with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add the cool, softened cream cheese and beat briefly until combined. Mix in the powdered sugar on low speed in two additions, then add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stop once smooth and spreadable; prolonged beating can loosen the frosting. If too soft, refrigerate briefly before spreading.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake in the pan. Cut into 16 squares, wiping the knife between cuts. Refrigerate the frosted cake promptly, covered, and keep at 40°F (4°C) or below. Take out only the portions you plan to serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 16 frosted squaresCalories: 442kcalCarbohydrates: 54.7gProtein: 4.9gFat: 23.2gSaturated Fat: 6.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 11.4gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 264mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 1.3gSugar: 38.3gCalcium: 73mgIron: 1.3mg
Video
Notes
Measuring: Carrot cup measurements vary considerably with the grater and packing. Use 350 g after peeling and grating. The cake uses fresh fine shreds, not thick bagged matchsticks. The square serving is one-sixteenth of the entire frosted pan, not a measured cooked gram weight.
Pan and timing: Use a 9-by-13-inch metal pan at least 2 inches deep. This formula is intended as a single-layer sheet cake. Baking time is an estimate; check the center. Cooling can take longer in a warm kitchen and is included in the total time.
Optional nut variation: Fold in ½ cup (about 55 g) chopped walnuts or pecans with the carrots if desired. Nuts are not included in the base ingredients, images, cost or nutrition estimates. Check allergies before adding them.
Storage: Keep the frosted cake covered and refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below; use within 3 days for best quality. Freeze individual wrapped portions for up to 1 month and thaw in the refrigerator. Keep total room-temperature serving time below 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Nutrition: Estimated from USDA ingredient data for one-sixteenth of the recipe, including all frosting and the full teaspoon of pan oil. Actual brands, measurements and serving sizes vary. Contains wheat, egg and milk; no cooked vitamin-retention claim is made.
Cost: Approximately US$7.25 total, or US$0.45 per square, from prorated sample US grocery prices and modest pantry allowances. Excludes tax, delivery, energy and unused package contents.
Video companion: Chelsweets demonstrates a 9-by-13-inch carrot sheet cake with cream cheese frosting. Her version uses different ingredient amounts, additional cloves, optional flower-nail heating cores and a 325°F oven. Follow this card’s 350°F method and quantities for this version.
