Silver Palate Carrot Cake

Submitted by xpnsve

"This is my hands down all time favorite carrot cake recipe from the Silver Palate cookbook."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• butter, for greasing the pan
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup corn oil
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, shelled, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 1⁄3 cups carrots, cooked, pureed
• 3⁄4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 lemon, juice of

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease two 9-inch springform pans.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in the walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until the edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes.
4. Cool on a cake rack for 3 hours. Fill and frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.
5. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
6. Slowly sift in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps.
7. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.

Reviews

[Jyoti I.]

This is the best Carrot Cake ever! I have used this recipe for many years in a cafe. * It is very moist * Carrots do not turn green as in many recipes I reduce the sugar by nearly 1 cup, put them into giant muffin tins, and make these into "Morning Muffins" for a cafe. When business is slow, I bake half of the batter the first morning, and then the other half the next day, which spreads out the delightful morning smells. I substitute canned pumpkin for the carrots in the fall! One last tip, since I make them often, I puree a big bag of carrots at a time, then freeze the remainder for my next baking day.

 

[Claire W.]

Every year at a Christmas fundraiser auction, I offer cakes which I will make upon request; six highest bidders get to call me for a cake. By far, the most requested is carrot cake; this is the recipe I use, from the Silver Palate cookbook. Moist, rich, flavorful, not difficult to make at all. One of my friends gives a testimonial for it worthy of a camp meeting or revival. BE FOREWARNED: My recipe from the cookbook says two 9" pans. Balderdash! I bought 10" pans to accomodate this huge cake. Three 9 inch layers tend to slip and slide around and get very messy. Makes a ton of fabulous cupcakes if you prefer. If you have a large group to feed, make this cake. Bake the layers, wrap well, freeze and then bring them out and frost them. Cake keeps well and improves with age.

 

[sydney lynne]

This Carrot Cake is superior. My family and friends told me it was the best carrot cake they have ever had. I used baby food carrots instead of peeling, cooking, & pureeing and it came out absolutely fabulous. I would recommned making sure you use the 9 inch spring form pans. I used on huge spring form and had to cook the cake for almost 2 hours. It didn't burn, but the edges were a little browner than I would have liked. The frosting - oh my goodness! is the best.

 

[Tiramissue]

I’ve been making this delicious carrot cake for 30 years and it’s the best. The recipe will make 36 cupcakes but the frosting only covers about 30. As a side note, the original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups corn oil but 1 cup is fine.

 

[YungB]

Very good cake. Moist and not to spicy. Some carrot has all kind of spice in it but not this one. The cinnamon amount was perfect. I did not puree the carrot. I just used a very fine grater and grated the carrots. It came out just fine. Oh, and the frosting is to die for. I licked the bowl he he he. Thanks for posting the recipe.