Pretty much every baker in the United States has a carrot cake recipe. Each one is convinced that hers/his is the absolute best. Clearly, this can’t be true because mine is actually the best. It wasn’t always the best, but I’ve finessed and finessed it and now I’d put it up against anyone’s carrot cake recipe, even Joan, the queen of cakes. (My sister-in-law, Donna is going to have a nervous breakdown over this because my recipe is a variation on her recipe and she’s convinced hers is the best.)
(OK, she’s convinced because she won a Blue Ribbon at the Canfield fair, the second biggest fair in the country. She says a panel of judges from Home Economics Departments of Kent State and Youngstown State Universities awarded it.) I had to add this because she wrote a comment informing me of this and is now demanding a competition. (Good God, what have I started?)
Anyway, Joan is a friend of mine who is one of the most competitive humans on the face of the earth. I love her in spite of it, but it’s true. At one get together we had a carrot cake-off. She brought hers, I brought mine. It was like those gun-slinger movies where the two shooters face off and only one is left standing. Sadly, I went down over stinking pecans. I was grinding mine down like meal, she left hers in big chunks and it turns out that people like chunks better (me included). But other than that they were neck and neck.
I always loved Donna’s recipe and made it for a while, but somewhere along the line, I decided that 1 1/2 cups of oil was too much (because God forbid this cake with cream cheese frosting should be fattening or anything) so I substituted a can of crushed pineapple for 3/4 of a cup of oil. I liked the flavor of the pineapple and just kept it in. Then, after the cake-off, I realized that the pecans had to be in larger pieces, so I’m sorry Donna, your cake recipe was really good, but I’ve moved on.
I just made it for my daughter’s 18th birthday, and it got rave reviews from the four young people here devouring it. It’s moist and dense and just perfect. Unfortunately, I’ve never taken a cake decorating class and my cakes have looked the same for the past 25 years. I decorate them with a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. I do really difficult moves like make dots all around the edges. Go ahead, say it, “Ooooooohhh.”
And parents, remember this: The cake with the decorative dots that thrills your child at three, she will mock when she turns 18. Just be prepared. (I can’t imagine where she got that kind of sarcasm .)
So, here you go. I feel perfectly comfortable giving you this recipe, knowing that if you ever run into Joan or Donna, you can say your carrot cake is every bit as good as theirs. However, over achiever that Joan is, she’s also taken cake decorating classes, so her cake will probably be better looking than yours, but hold your head high because it all looks the same once you swallow it.
Fran’s Clearly Superior Carrot Cake
(Adapted from my sister-in-law, Donna Tunno’s Award Winning Carrot Cake recipe)
Note: I always toast my pecans first, toasting them adds a whole new layer of flavor – trust me! That way they have time to cool before adding them to the batter. I toast them whole, then roughly chop the ones I put in the cake by hand, so they have some heft. I put the second cup of toasted pecans in the food processor and finely chop them and set them aside. Then, I put my pineapple in a strainer and let it drain. Then I peel and process my carrots, then set them aside. (This cake is some work, but the accolades are worth it.)
Flour and grease two 9″ cake pans and set them aside. Combine all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in one medium bowl. Combine oil, sugar, eggs and drained pineapple in second large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the oil, sugar, egg, pineapple mixture. Blend in carrots and pecans.
Pour cake batter into the two 9" cake pans. (Or a bundt cake pan- if you want.) Bake at 350 for 40 min to an hour. (Test with a toothpick starting at 40 min.) Remove cakes from their pans immediately by running a knife along the edges and flipping them over onto a plate. Then flip them again, so they're right side up.
If you make cupcakes, they only take 20 minutes, but test them with a toothpick first. If it comes out dry, your cupcakes are ready. Once the cake is cool, place one cake on a plate, cut off the rounded top so the next layer sits better. Then ice the top with plenty of cream cheese frosting. Next, place the other cake on top, ice it all over with and press the chopped toasted pecans all around the sides. You might need more than 1 cup. If making cupcakes, just roll the iced cupcake in the toasted pecans. Serve immediately.
Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Mix well in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, vanilla, and half and half. Add salt to taste. (Icing always needs a little salt.) When thoroughly combined, apply icing to cooled cake.
Ingredients
Directions
Note: I always toast my pecans first, toasting them adds a whole new layer of flavor – trust me! That way they have time to cool before adding them to the batter. I toast them whole, then roughly chop the ones I put in the cake by hand, so they have some heft. I put the second cup of toasted pecans in the food processor and finely chop them and set them aside. Then, I put my pineapple in a strainer and let it drain. Then I peel and process my carrots, then set them aside. (This cake is some work, but the accolades are worth it.)
Flour and grease two 9″ cake pans and set them aside. Combine all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in one medium bowl. Combine oil, sugar, eggs and drained pineapple in second large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the oil, sugar, egg, pineapple mixture. Blend in carrots and pecans.
Pour cake batter into the two 9" cake pans. (Or a bundt cake pan- if you want.) Bake at 350 for 40 min to an hour. (Test with a toothpick starting at 40 min.) Remove cakes from their pans immediately by running a knife along the edges and flipping them over onto a plate. Then flip them again, so they're right side up.
If you make cupcakes, they only take 20 minutes, but test them with a toothpick first. If it comes out dry, your cupcakes are ready. Once the cake is cool, place one cake on a plate, cut off the rounded top so the next layer sits better. Then ice the top with plenty of cream cheese frosting. Next, place the other cake on top, ice it all over with and press the chopped toasted pecans all around the sides. You might need more than 1 cup. If making cupcakes, just roll the iced cupcake in the toasted pecans. Serve immediately.
Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Mix well in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, vanilla, and half and half. Add salt to taste. (Icing always needs a little salt.) When thoroughly combined, apply icing to cooled cake.
31 Comments
Chas Madonio
September 9, 2020 at 11:44 amDid I get lost in a time warp? I thought summer reruns ended Sept. 1st. I know I have slow internet speed, but it took 6 years for this to make it into my inbox! I’m exhausted. Stick with the bigger pecan chunks.
Fran Tunno
September 9, 2020 at 12:55 pmNo Chas! (But that did make me laugh!) I wrote this back in 2014 and have been updating my recipes so they’re easier to find. I’m adding the name of each dish I write about, alongside the title because otherwise you have to search forever to find stuff. This didn’t start out as a recipe site, but, as you know, I can’t help myself. I’m not sure why this posted to my readers, it wasn’t supposed to. Was just supposed to update. Probably my fault! But the recipe is still killer good!
The Most Awesome Cheesecake You've Ever Had – At Fran's Table
March 27, 2019 at 10:00 pm[…] know I already laid claim to the best Carrot Cake ever. I’m going out on a limb again because I also have the recipe for the best cheesecake […]
Colleen O'Neill Rohm
September 8, 2020 at 6:58 pmYour posts make me smile!!! And make my stomach want cake!
Fran Tunno
September 8, 2020 at 7:09 pmI honestly want cake too, right now. I may have to go nuts and start baking. Never good for my butt. Thank you for reading and writing! xoxoxo
Another Carrot Cake Victory – At Fran's Table
April 21, 2018 at 6:27 pm[…] decided to surprise Deb with “Fran’s Clearly Superior Carrot Cake” for Deb’s birthday because it’s her favorite. We went to a restaurant in Burbank […]
The Most Awesome Cheesecake You’ve Ever Had | At Fran's Table
February 23, 2017 at 11:35 pm[…] know I already laid claim to the best Carrot Cake ever. I’m going out on a limb again because I also have the recipe for the best cheesecake […]
Theresa LoBue
May 21, 2014 at 9:38 amHow hysterical is that story?!?! My competitive friends Joan W, Dorothea M and I had a pumpkin pie bake off. One of the competitors was a Costco pie (Joan’s entry). Garet, god love him, came up with the idea of competition. Our husbands were wisely tipped off to the Costco pie and it won!!! We will never bake pumpkin pie or compete again!
Brandon loves carrot cake! I use walnut pieces, crushed pineapple and coconut. I love pecans and will try them next time. My recipe has been tweaked from the in the Silver Palate cookbook.
Your cake was decorated with love.
Fran Tunno
May 25, 2014 at 9:18 amI love it! Our family has been having a pumpkin pie contest at Thanksgiving for decades now. Our mom was very competitive and used to try and bribe my nephews to vote for her pies. Glad to see it’s spreading and now I must try the Costco pie, but I love pie baking too much to give it up. As for the carrot cake, I am going to try the addition of coconut next time. Maybe on the outside of the cake, maybe on the inside. Not sure but always glad for the input.
Donna Tunno
May 21, 2014 at 9:38 amI’m baaack! One last word on the carrot cake brouhaha! Yes, I’m the Canfield Fair blue ribbon winner (ahem!) and Fran’s sister-in-law. Just had to tell you that I, too, use the chopped pecan pieces instead of the pecan meal which was in the original recipe. Forty years ago I tried the pecan meal once or twice and then immediately switched to the pecan chunks, which are so much better. There are only three differences in our recipes: You use pineapple for part of the oil and vanilla in the frosting … and I use a bundt pan which makes for smaller pieces of cake surrounded by cream cheese frosting on three sides. Next time I will use pineapple and vanilla and give an honest critique on the outcome! Stay tuned!
Suzanna Sargsyan
April 17, 2014 at 11:42 amMilena looks soo CUTE here! Fran… I’m going to have to try this.. because like you said…everyone thinks their carrot cake is the best..my friend’s carrot cake is the best I’ve ever had.. so I excited about this “carrot cake off” :)!
Fran Tunno
April 18, 2014 at 10:52 amWell Suzanna, make mine, have her make hers and you can stage your own cake-off! Please let me know how it goes. My money’s on you and my recipe! Good luck.
Sara Lock
April 11, 2014 at 11:28 amThis is Brandon’s favorite cake.
Fran Tunno
April 11, 2014 at 12:38 pmNext time I see him I will bake it for him! Good to know! He never mocked me for the dots!
lafriday
April 11, 2014 at 1:08 amGive Miss Milena a great big (belated) birthday hug!
Fran Tunno
April 11, 2014 at 9:56 amWill do Linda. Thank you!
Donna Tunno
April 10, 2014 at 5:18 pmWhoa! Just a minute! I go on vacation and come home to read that I was dethroned! You neglected to tell your readers that a Blue Ribbon was awarded to me by a panel of judges (from two home ec departments at two universities, Kent and YSU) declaring my cake to be the best at the Canfield Country Fair, the second biggest county fair in the USA! I, too, use chunks of pecans (not the pecan meal in the recipe) and I don’t add vanilla to the frosting. The only way to settle this is for you and Joan to buy me a ticket to LA where we can have a bake-off! Oh, and you have to send our nephew Patrick a ticket so he can be a judge! Carrot cake is his favorite! Sister-in-Law Donna (P.S. I use a bundt pan so the cream cheese frosting surrounds the cake on three sides, and I decorate with whole pieces of pecans around the top of the cake … or I place fake baby carrots around the cake for Easter!)
Fran Tunno
April 10, 2014 at 10:08 pmOoh, I love it when you’re feisty. Well then the recipe you gave me was old because it called for 1/2 cup chopped nuts or 1 cup pecan meal and it’s in your handwriting, And you are right, your frosting does not call for vanilla, mine does. Clearly, it’s bake off time sister, so come on out!
Kimber
April 8, 2014 at 3:42 pmFrannie – You slay me!! I’ve always liked my pecans in pieces also.
It just so happens that I need to make a carrot cake for Lorna (in the office) next month, and I’m going to make your recipe.
I will decorate it with colored icing out of a snipped ziplock, just like you do. And I’ll put a little flag on the cake that says, “Fran’s Recipe – Best Carrot Cake Ever”!
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 6:31 pmI love you Kimberly! If you have any questions, please call.
Jane Jacobs
April 8, 2014 at 7:50 amI can’t wait to g
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 1:17 pmI’m not sure what you can’t wait for Jane, but I hope it’s good. Maybe the possibility of making the carrot cake was so overwhelming you rushed off to bake before finishing your post. Or you’ve been abducted…I’m hoping for the first.
donraymedia
April 8, 2014 at 6:41 amWhat fun! I sure enjoy waking up to words that make me smile. Thanks, Fran!
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 1:14 pmAnd you don’t even cook Don. I love you for always reading my stuff!
Margaret
April 8, 2014 at 5:56 amLooks like a perfect Easter dessert – great timing! I’ll let you know if it passes the Eichenlaub taste test!
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 1:13 pmYes, please do let me know if the family approves. I feel very confident about this one. (Famous last words!)
Howie
April 8, 2014 at 2:36 amAnd “Bowie” is actually “Howie” 🙂 thus reinforcing the fact that this morning is not going well! 🙂
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 1:12 pmOh Bowie, don’t worry about silly things like names. Glad I made you smile.
Bowie
April 8, 2014 at 2:24 amNeeded some levity this morning ( and a piece of carrot cake would have been nice too! ) Thanks for the laugh!
burbankbob2014
April 8, 2014 at 12:33 amOMG! I’m sure your carrot cake beats the tiny, little carrot cupcake I’ve become fond of from Jenny Craig. Would you kindly attach a piece to an e-mail and send me? 🙂
Fran Tunno
April 8, 2014 at 1:11 pmToo funny. Trust me Bob, I would attach it if I could!