Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake [with Buttermilk Glaze]

"From the Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook II. This recipe includes a buttermilk glaze in addition to cream cheese frosting. Preparation time does not include chilling time. This cake is knock-down, drag-out delicious."
 
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photo by gailanng photo by gailanng
photo by gailanng
photo by bananafield photo by bananafield
photo by chefRD photo by chefRD
photo by The Real Cake Baker photo by The Real Cake Baker
photo by The Real Cake Baker photo by The Real Cake Baker
Ready In:
1hr 15mins
Ingredients:
26
Serves:
20
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ingredients

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directions

  • For Buttermilk Glaze:

  • In small saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, and corn syrup.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Set aside until cake is baked.
  • For cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Generously grease a 9x13 baking dish or 2 9" cake pans.
  • Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
  • Set aside.
  • In large bowl, beat eggs.
  • Add oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla and mix well.
  • Add flour mixture, pineapple, carrots, coconut, raisins and walnuts and stir well.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from oven and slowly pour over buttermilk glaze over hot cake.
  • Cool cake in pan until buttermilk glaze is totally absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  • For Frosting:

  • In large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
  • Add vanilla, powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel.
  • Mix until smooth.
  • Frost cake and refrigerate until frosting is set.
  • Serve cake chilled.

Questions & Replies

  1. The first version I saw of the recipes directed you to poke holes in the hot cake and pour the buttermilk glaze over. Have directions changed?Not #ure which I should follow
     
  2. Has anyone made this into a 3 layer cake? I’m afraid it may be too dense/heavy with the glaze but I make 3 layer Hummingbird cakes, which are pretty dense, successfully. Any advice would be appreciated.
     
  3. I've made carrot cakes many times, I'm curious what the point of the buttermilk glaze is?
     
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Reviews

  1. This is the best carrot cake I have ever had. It is the one we used to serve at T.G.I. Friday's back in the eighties. Fabulous!!! Be careful not to let the buttermilk glaze boil over (which it does easily). Use a sheet pan. This is really too moist for a layered cake treatment. Go easy on the orange zest in the frosting. Poke holes in the top of the cake with the blunt end of a bamboo skewer to allow the buttermilk glaze to soak in evenly. This can be made several days in advance for a party. I have one in the refrigerator that is 13 days old and just as good as the day it was made. If I could give an extra half of a start, I would.
     
  2. Made this in May for a birthday party. For years I used the Better Homes and Gardens’ carrot cake recipe, but decided to try a new one. Everyone at the event LOVED this cake! Even the birthday girl’s hubby, who is a cake snob and has never cared for my famous German Chocolate or any other cake I’ve made. His wife said he could not resist this one and every time she turned around, a piece was missing. Others suggested I sell the cakes. Needless to say this is my go to recipe now. It doesn’t even need frosting in my opinion. Just the glaze is enough. You won’t regret making it!
     
  3. Well, this is full of everything I love, including fat and calorie. Let's commiserate. Carrot cake anyone? 10 Stars
     
  4. OMG on steroids!!!! I just baked this cake this morning and I can't stop sneaking bites! ... And I haven't even frosted it yet! This is truly THE MOST MOIST AND DELICIOUS CARROT CAKE I HAVE EVER TASTED! it's good with just the buttermilk drizzle that I'm seriously thinking about skipping the frosting. It's THAT good. The buttermilk drizzle is the key. You won't go wrong with making this cake. TO DIE FOR and worth every calorie!
     
  5. This is the most requested cake I have ever made. Even carrot cake haters loved this one.
     
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Tweaks

  1. This is my third time making this cake in less than a month. Each time I do something a tad bit different. Instead of the orange juice in the frosting, I used a teaspoon of pure orange extract. Perfect! Also, I was trying to flip the cakes out of the pan onto a plate and then another flip to over so the caramelized top would be on TOP...but this time I just flipped it over onto the cake plate....and icing'd the layer...then flipped the other over on top of it. It's actually nice how the caramel is at the bottom of the cake...and then droops down onto the bottom layer from the top. Didn't do the raisins in any of my cakes - and this time used baby carrots ground up in a food processor....my oh my ....this cake makes me feel like I WON the blue ribbon!
     

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