Description
This carrot sheet cake is the perfect, easy to make, crowd-pleasing treat for springtime! Moist, full of flavor, and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting, this is the carrot cake of your dreams!
Ingredients
For the carrot cake:
- 168 gm (3/4 cup) vegetable oil
- 250 gm (1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
- 120 gm (1/2 cup, firmly packed) light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 80 gm (1/3 cup) sour cream
- 250 gm (2 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 217 gm (2 cups) finely grated carrots*
- 150 gm (2/3 cup) drained crushed pineapple**
- 80 gm (1/2 cup) raisins
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 56 gm (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, very soft
- 8 oz. cream cheese, very soft
- 360 gm (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional garnish: freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
To make the carrot cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick spray, then line with parchment paper and spray again; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the oil, sugar, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, being sure that each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 2 separate additions, mixing on low speed until the ingredients are just combined.
- Next, add the grated carrots, drained pineapple, and raisins and fold into the batter using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out as necessary into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool completely before topping with cream cheese frosting.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and kosher salt. Mix together on low speed until ingredients are roughly combined, then gradually increase mixer to high speed and continue to beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer to low speed and mix for an additional 30 seconds to remove any excess air.
- Spread cream cheese frosting onto the cooled cake. Top with freshly grated nutmeg, if desired.
Notes
*Grated carrots: Be sure to use peeled, freshly grated carrots. Pre-shredded carrots you can buy at the grocery store are too dry and won’t lend the same flavor or moisture to the cake.
**Measuring crushed pineapple: be sure to drain the crushed pineapple first, then measure out 150 gm (2/3 cup) before adding to the batter. You will need 1, 15.25-oz can of crushed pineapple, but you won’t use all of it.
Make ahead instructions: This cake is even better the next day, so it makes a great make ahead dessert! Frosted cake can be made 1 day in advance, covered and stored in the fridge.
Storage: store leftovers covered in the fridge. This cake is even better the next day!