Carrot Cake III

This is just my humble opinion, but I think it's very rude of people changing the recipe so much and then bragging about it like it worked out better than the one given. I don't understand why people make so many changes to the recipes on this site. It's out of control and almost seems like people want to one up the person putting the recipe on the site just to show they could do it better. I have not made this recipe yet but I will tomorrow, without all the brown sugar, without the change in oil, without the applesauce, etc. Post your own recipe instead of making these unneeded changes.

Great recipe. It was my 1st homemade carrot cake & it turned out perfect. I made a layer cake using 2 9"round pans & cooked at 350F for 35 minutes.

this is the best carrot cake i have tasted in my life! it was absolutely delicious. and it was my first time making a cake from scratch. no more store bought cake for me. and it was guilt free. for those who are health freaks like me and still want a tasty treat i made some changes. i added in 1 cup of raisins. i also substituted applesauce for all of the oil and the cake was still very moist, and i used egg subsitute. i then used 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. for a more "spice cake" taste, i used ground cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. i didn't use the frosting recipe that was given. instead i used the fat free cream cheese frosting which can be found on this website as well. for those who had trouble with the middle sinking in i would suggest not over-mixing the batter and leaving very small lumps. otherwise with these changes the cake is fat-free except for the nuts that you add in. enjoy!

Exceptional!!! My family hovers in the kitchen when I set out ingredients to make this cake. So after making it 3 times, it is time to write a review. First let me state that this is a wonderful carrot cake recipe EXACTLY as written. But to personalize the recipe I decided to experiment. Based on other reviews: upped the cinnamon to 2.5 tsps, added 1 tsp of nutmeg and 1 tsp of allspice, increased the carrots to 4 cups and the vanilla to 3 tsps. Phenomenal!!!

I made this cake for my son's first birthday party a few days ago and it was a hit!!! I too, made a few changes that really made this cake great. I used 3/4 cup oil plus 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the full amount of oil, I used 1 cup each white and brown sugar and also added 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. As for the frosting, I reduced the powdered sugar to 2 1/4 cups. This recipe was delicious and I am sure would be with or without any of the changes mentioned above. In fact, I think I am going to go eat another leftover piece right now :)!! Thanks Tammy!

I made this into cupcakes and baked for 20 minutes at 350. They turned out great!

Great foundation recipe. I, like most people, made some slight altercations, but it's great just as is -- other than one thing: the baking soda. People who don't understand leavening agents like to throw in both baking powder and baking soda, but baking soda needs an acidic component in order to react; otherwise, you're left with a cake that sinks in the middle and a bitter flavor. There's no acidic component in this cake. With a big recipe like this, that bitter flavor will be mostly lost, but you still won't get the reaction you need. If you use an acidic component like a 1/2 cup of applesauce or crushed pineapple in place of some oil, or a 1/4 cup of honey in place of some white sugar, then the baking soda is fine. If you want to leave the recipe as is, I'd recommend using four teaspoons of just baking powder. Usually, more baking powder is needed when substituting for baking soda, but this recipe already called for plenty. For people people who are having problems with all of the juice created from finely shredding the carrots, I recommend using some golden raisins, which I think are great in carrot cake, and mixing them with the shredded carrots. I use one cup. They soak up nearly all of the liquid and become nice and plump.

AS IS!!!! Absolutely scrumptious and sooo moist! I did make it in a springform pan and cut in half to make a layer cake with icing in between. I made it for my son's 21st with carrots picked from my garden. Definitely a keeper! And for those of you who made all those changes, shame on you! Yours were completely different recipes and you should not rate this recipe according to the changes you made. Submit your recipe and let others rate your recipe and leave this one alone!

My family just finished testing this cake. They all give it five stars and I have some picky eaters! It was very moist and absolutely perfect. I did not change a single thing about the recipe except I used two nine inch round pans instead of a cake pan. I had a little bit of a problem getting the cake out of the pans because of its moistness and density. Next time I make it I will not just spray the pans but also flour them and maybe that will help. Very, very good!

Great recipe. Have done it several times and always comes out picture perfect! With or without nuts the flavor is amazing! :D

Excellent recipe! I made this twice in one weekend (one for family and one for work) and both came out perfect; moist and delicious. I agree with Noty's review. This recipe is excellent if you make it as stated; it comes out perfect, not oily. If you make adjustments and it does not turn out well, you can only blame yourself.

This is my mom's favorite recipe, and she is a carrot cake addict. I love to make it for wedding cakes also, it always turns out perfectly. I only use 1/2 cup oil and increase the carrots to 5 cups (makes up for the moisture lost in oil reduction and adds great flavor). I increase the cinnamon and vanilla each by one teaspoon. I also leave the nuts out of the frosting. This recipe makes terrific cupcakes, sheet cakes, layer cakes, and larger tier cakes too. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!

I chose this recipe because it is closest to the recipe I've been using for 30 yrs that I can no longer read lol. I made some of the changes other also did. 3/4 cup oil and 1/2 applesauce, half brown & half white sugar, adding nutmeg. I've been baking all my life so my criticism of this recipe is more technical than flavorful. For first time bakers mix the oil/applesauce & sugars together until almost dissolved, add eggs 1 at a time until well blended. In a separate bowl "sift" the dry ingredients with a whisk and slowly add them to the wet ingredients. Then add vanilla. Stir in carrots and nuts by hand. I, too, reduced the confectioners sugar by a cup but then I just barely had enough to frost 2 9 inch layers I made instead of a 13 x 9. That all said this is a very delicious cake and got rave reviews from everyone. This will be my go to carrot cake recipe I hope for the next 30 yrs. lol!

This is a good tasting cake; however, it is a little oily. I would recommend either decreasing the amount of oil to 1 cup or using applesauce. Update: I have made this cake quite a few times andX it always turns out great. If you should half the recipe, cook it in a 9X9 pan for 30 minutes. Also, if you cook the cake in a 9X13 pan, cook it for 40 minutes. Update 2: if using a jumbo muffin tin the cupcakes bake in 23 minutes. The full recipe makes 14 jumbo cupcakes. Update 3 (half recipe): Use 1/2 cup of oil and use 1.75 cups of shredded carrots. This makes 11 regular sized cupcakes which took approximately 20 minutes to bake. Update 3: Made a traditional cake with this recipe (full recipe). The cake baked for 25-30 minutes.

Absolutely wonderful. Don't change anything. My department at work went CRAZY over it. I thought 1 and 1/4 cups of oil seemed like a lot but it just made the cake so moist and tender (Not greasy, trust me). Even more important - Don't listen to bad reviews from people who didn't follow the recipe! They're giving their own recipe a bad review at that point, not this one. Also, remember that ovens are different. Check on the cake a few minutes early if you think you need to. The second that toothpick is clean, it's done.

First ever from scratch carrot cake, in memory of my dad....it came out like something from a gourmet bakery! It was great!

I have made this cake for my husband every year for his birthday since we started dating. He loves it. These are the modifications I make based on other reviewer's suggestions: 1) Cut down the vegetable oil to 3/4 C and add in 1/2 C applesauce, 2) change sugar to 1 C white sugar and 1 C packed brown sugar, 3) increase cinnamon to 3 t, 4) add 1/2 t nutmeg, 5) add 1 C drained crushed pineapple. I also take out all nuts, but that's more of a preference. Instead of grating the carrots like you would grate cheese, I typically use a peeler and peel the carrots down to their core and then chop the thin peeled strips. You don't lose a lot of the carrot moisture this way and the carrots are nicely featured. Enjoy!

Wow this recipe is the one, I can finally stop searching - thank you! No changes made.. No need for crushed pineapple, it was moist enough on its own and you can really taste the carrots. Why do you rate a recipe if you've made five hundred thousand changes - submit your OWN recipe then. Stop the madness! lol

This is a very moist, heavy cake, that my co-workers just loved! It was worth the time and effort. Thanks for the recipe!

Very good recipe. I halfed it w/ good results and used slightly less oil to reduce calories and added some crushed pineapple.

The best carrot cake that I have ever made it.

Very delicious! I put this in two 8" round pans, and they overflowed a little bit, so next time I will use two 9" pans, or maybe I will purchase 8" pans with 2-inch sides (mine are about 1 1/2 inches high). Thanks!

After reading through the reviews, here's what I did : 1) used 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar 2) adding an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract 3) adding 1 8oz. can of crushed pineapple (I squeezed out most of the juice before adding it, I didn't want any extra fluids in the cake) 4) Added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg 5) added 1 extra teaspoon of cinnamon 6) used 3/4 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup applesauce 7) . The result came out incredibly delicious - the cake was very flavorful and moist. For the frosting, I only used 3.5 cups of powdered sugar, and it was more than sweet enough, with a nicely balanced cream cheese vs. sweet flavor. I also added 2 tablespoons of lime juice to the frosting mix, which gave it a nice tanginess. I followed another reviewer's suggestion of grating the carrots with the large grater side (the one you use for cheese) so that you don't end up with a bunch of carrot mush and juice that can't be used. This is the best carrot cake I've ever had.

Great recipe! I too made some substitutions and it came out very moist, delicious and not at all oily. I used 3/4 C applesauce and decreased the oil to a 1/2 C, and substituted 1 C of the white sugar with 1 C of brown sugar. Added a smidge of nutmeg and ground cloves. As for the frosting, I didn't have enough powdered sugar, so I changed things a bit. I only added 2 cups of sugar instead of 4, and it was pretty runny so I whipped an 8oz tub of Cool Whip into it. It actually came out light, fluffy and delish! I'll be doing this again.

Very good! I used 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and added more cream cheese to the frosting, as well has halved the entire recipe. Very moist!

I followed this recipe exactly and was quite disappointed with the flavour. To be fair, the texture was nice, crisp on top, moist inside, but the taste of Baking Soda was overpowering everything. I'm really surprised after reading so many rave reviews. Is there something I don't understand? Is Carrot Cake meant to taste of baking soda?

This is absolutely the best. I made this after my mother in law guilted me for not making my hubby Carrot Cake from scratch, afterwards this has become the 100% go to recipe. WE LOVE IT. I also use the frosting recipe for several other cakes I've made like red velvet. Thanks for the Awesome RECIPE!

made as is omitting the pecans ....we r not a nut family :) everyone said it is soooooo good!!!

I have made this twice now, but I have adapted it to be Gluten Free and dairy free. It was incredibly good. if you are a GF eater like my husband, this will make your jaw drop! In place of the 2 cups of flour, Here is my GF mix i use: 1/3 cup almond flour (cheap at trader joes or you can grind your own) 2/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/3 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/6 cup of sweet sorghum flour or sweet white rice flour. (this is a staple GF mix that i have used to replace the wheat flour in other recipes, i keep a big tupperware of it already mixed in the fridge so all i have to do is take out two cups of my "GF mix". Beyond the flour, the other adjustements i did were to follow what other reviewers have suggested, cutting the oil to 3/4 cup and using 1/2 cup apple sauce. I used 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white. added a pinch of nutmeg, about 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple (drained of liquid- i think next time i'll add more it was hard to tell it was there.) and then a mix of chopped pecans and walnuts. I'm telling you, this was the best cake we've had in a long time. I served it to 8 adult for my husband on his birthday, he is the only Gluten free one, but everyone loved it. No one could tell it was GF which says a lot right there! oh, also for the frosting to keep with the dairy free theme, i used "tofutti" a cream cheese made from tofu. I made a much smaller portion that the frosting recipe with this cake, and just drizzled it over the cake.

I think it is inconsiderate to rate this cake a 5 star and then say how you changed it. How fair is that, it has thousands of reviews are they all different? Come on people this is Tammy's cake I dare you to submit your cake with changes and see what ratings you get or how much you like others changing your reciepe!

This carrot cake is extremely moist and delicious! It doesn't need any frosting at all. It also tastes better the next day, since the flavors meld together beautifully!!

Great base but definitely needs adjustment. Overpowering amounts of sugar, cinnamon and pecans destroy the subtle tastes and could easily leave the blind taste-tester wondering if it's just a spice cake with butter icing. Instead of 2c white sugar, I use 1-1/4 c loosely packed light brown sugar. Instead of 1-1/4 c oil, which I find too much to consume in one cake, I used 3/4 c oil (peanut oil) and 1/2 c apple sauce. I added 4c of carrot, grated with a course cheese grater. 2 tsp cinnamon overpowers the carrots and leaves a burning sensation in the throat, so I reduce to 1 tsp. I wouldn't recommend additional vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg, because it just overpowers it. Baking soda works as a rising agent when combined with acid so I found it odd there's no particularly acidic ingredient in this recipe, so I added 4 slices pineapple, crushed and drained. 4 c sugar in the icing is way too much, I reduced it to 1/2 c to let the lovely cream cheese flavour come through, and I eliminated the nuts and butter. To those having problems with the centre caving in, I would suggest having all your ingredients ready beforehand, and add the baking powder and soda at the end. Baking soda starts rising immediately and if it's added before you've grated your carrots or chopped your pecans, it will have used and lost some of its rising abilities before going in the oven.

A wonderful, "true" old-fashioned carrot cake. (no pineapple!) I DID modern it up a bit by replacing half the oil with applesauce. I had a special request from a birthday boy for carrot cake LAYER CAKE! I only have 8" rounds so I poured the extra batter into a loaf pan and all came out fine in about 45 min. I would suggest 9" rounds if you want a layer cake! Big cake. Plenty of batter, plenty of icing! Thanks!

This is the nicest carrot cake I have ever made or tasted. My husbands work mates LOVED it.

Whole family loved it! cut back by 1 cup of icing sugar for the frosting could have cut back even more than that but other than that it was perfect!

HOR-RI-BLE I was looking forward to a moist delicious cake but I was very disappointed. It was EXTREMELY bland, and was VERY heavy!! I will NEVER make again!

PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT I DID WRONG!! I made the cake exactly as the recipe states, put in 2 9" round pans. It boiled over the sides, which isn't so bad, but when I took it out of the oven the middle of both cakes where sunken in. I am sure it is baking error, but not sure what it could be. Otherwise, the cake tasted great!!

this carrot cake is amazing! i like making it in two circular pans and then making a double-layered cake. it renews my faith in the carrot cake

Everyone who tried the cake said only one thing .... that its 'Perfect'! the topping is awesome, the cake its self is scrumpcious, and it smels really good when baking!!!!

I have never made nor tried carrot cake before. This was very easy to make and turned out delicious! I followed gneebeanie suggestions although I did not add the crushed pineapple. I think I would add 1C. oil and 1/2C. applesauce the next time as I thought it could be a bit moister. I was told by my friends that this was the best carrot cake they had ever had! This is a definite keeper!

Although it was difficult to refrain from making ingredient changes based on all the advice from previous reviews, I ultimately decided to stick to the original recipe. It is absolutely the most delicious, moist, flavorful, perfect carrot cake! Nothing needs to be added or taken away or substituted. Made this recipe as cupcakes for the Hubster's birthday since he requested carrot cake, and we absolutely loved them! The frosting is FABULOUS! I halved the recipe and it made 12 decadent cupcakes (baked at 350 for 20 minutes) with just the perfect amount of frosting. Thanks you so much, Tammy, for an awesome recipe! :)

This recipe is so good! I don't consider myself a "baker," but it turned out great. I made the modifications suggested by S.Warren, which are: instead of using 1 1/4 C oil, I used 3/4 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce; instead of 2 C white sugar, used 1 C white and 1 C brown; added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. When making the frosting, use 3 C of confectioners' sugar instead of 4. The cake and icing were perfect. Thanks!

A little taste of heaven...one of the best cakes I've ever eaten. TIP: The icing looks much prettier if you finely chop pecans beforehand and sprinkle on top of the cake AFTER spreading. Oh, and one cup of sugar for the icing will suffice.

This is the best carrot cake recipe I've found so far. My children often request this for their birthdays (sans nuts). I use a 16oz bag of baby carrots and shred them in the food processor, then give them a light chop so there are no big long strips. My children actually prefer this with half whole wheat flour (for flavor...not health reasons, we seem to like the complexity that it adds). I also add another teaspoon of cinnamon. I usually make a three layer cake, lining the pans with parchment paper and then frost with a cream cheese frosting with less sugar. The sweetness in this one is overwhelming to my family. We like a bit of the tang from the cream cheese to compliment the sweet cake. ****My professor at culinary school suggested repacing some of the oil with melted butter, I used 3/4 cup oil and 1/2 cup melted butter last time I made it.....better than ever! Thank you!

my first carrot cake attempt and i'm pleased with the moist and tasty flavor. i made some changes though - separated the eggs and beat whites till stiff and fold into complete batter at the end, used 3/4 melted butter and 1/4 cup applesauce, used 1/4cup less sugar (and mixed in some brown sugar too), 1.5tsp cinnamon and added 1/2tsp nutmeg. for the frosting i reduced sugar to 2 cups. i find the frosting makes way too much though. i also omitted the nuts as i don't have them on hand... i will make this again, and with nuts too!

I'm giving this four stars because, despite the fact that the product of my baking was the best carrot cake I've ever tasted, I made several changes to the recipe at the suggestion of other reviewers. I replaced the recommended amount of oil with 1/2 cup of oil and 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce, and substituted 1 cup of the white sugar for brown sugar. I also added 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, and 1 cup of golden raisins. For the frosting, 2 cups of confectioner's sugar was plenty. I had to bake the cake for an hour, but that could be because of the insulated pan I was using.

Excellent and easy recipe! It was a hit, I can't wait to make it again! Just an fyi...the icing recipe makes a huge amount of frosting. If you're not going to layer the cake then you may want to rethink the amount of the ingredients.

The icing calls for 4 cups of icing sugar!!! I found this to be a lot. I tried it with 3 cups and it is still very sweet. I would even suggest reducing the amount of icing sugar by one half!

Very good cake. I generally don't like carrot cake because of the "extras" that go in it. I made this cake and left out the pecans and it was great. I also added a few more sprinkles of cinnamon for extra flavor. I will definitely make this one again.

Very soft and moist even better after keeping for 1 day! I added some nutmeg and used the cream cheese II recipe but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I made this into 21 medium cupcakes(abt 2.5 inch diameter) baked for 30mins at 180 degrees C. Initially I found it to be abit sweet but after keeping overnight the sweetness has reduced and it is just right. These cakes are super soft so let them cool before attempting to remove from the pan otherwise it falls apart. After cooling they will be firmer but still very moist. I did not have a problem with the appearing greasy. Be sure to beat the liquid ingredients well so that the egg and oil is well blended and you shouldn't have a problem. I only had double acting baking powder on hand and I found that the second tray that I baked turned out better and rose more evenly after the mixture had time to sit for about 30 mins. The first tray I baked immediately did not rise as evenly and had some pockmarks on the surface. Not a big issue since I covered them with frosting. I would make this again but probably reduce the baking soda and baking powder abit.

:) :) :) :) :) :) mmmm cupcakes :) :) :) :) :) :) I decided to make carrot cupcakes - everything is better bite-size! The recipe yielded about 24 yummy cupcakes. Watch the baking time, though, they only took about 20 minutes. Enjoy!!

The bad news about this recipe is that once you make it, you'll be asked to bring it to every family event. The good news is that it's delicious. I use all the changes suggested in the review marked "most helpful." I just want to add that I always make these as cupcakes, baking at 350 for about 20 minutes.

I've tried this recipe four times and every time I do it sinks and splits. I'm not new to baking, either. My oven temp is accurate and I follow the recipe exactly as written.

I must have done something wrong. It came out collapsed in the middle. Just to be sure, I made it a second time and it came out the same. It was too heavy and there is way too much oil in this recipe. The flavor was just ok.

AMAZING! I was asked to make a carrot cake for a family member's birthday. Three of the six of us who celebrated (including myself) do not like carrot cake but we are all converts now! It was fabulous! I made a 9" 2-layer cake (baked for 35 minutes) and doubled the frosting recipe. Thanks for this keeper!!!

This cake was great. I followed some advice from some of the other reviews. I used 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of white. I also changed the oil to 1/4 cup and added 1 cup of applesauce. I also added 1 cup of raisins and 1/4 tsp of nutmeg. I did not use 4 cups of sugar in the icing thought that would be way to much. I used 2 & 1/2 cups and it turned out great.

Best recipe on this site so far! I followed this recipe almost to a T and the cake turned out moist and wonderful! The only change was that I added about 1/4 cup of raisins and did not add pecans to the icing. The cake is moist, flavorful and tastes even better a day later once the flavors have properly soaked in. This is also an incredibly easy recipe to make. Two thumbs up!

I was looking forward to making this cake for my birthday. I followed the directions specifically and it overflowed and was to thin in the middle. There was no way I could cook it for 40 to 50 minutes. It burned in the middle and messed up my oven.

The best!!!

This was excellent. I don't like my carrot cake too dense so the light fluffiness was perfect. I did make a few changes to the recipe. Instead of white sugar I used all brown sugar and based on previous reviews I substituted the oil with only 3/4 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce. I used my own homemade applesauce (Peel, core and slice 4 apples, add 3/4 C water, cover and bring to boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, then mash). I added walnuts instead of pecans. I also didn't have any cream cheese so I didn't make the frosting but it still made a wonderful breakfast treat and was gone in a day. I plan to make this recipe again soon with the frosting!

Best carrot cake recipe ever! People who don't usually like carrot cake LOVE it. I make cake and cupcakes with this recipe. Cupcakes cook for about 25 - 30 minutes and make a ton of them, medium sized about 30 cupcakes. I add more spices because I like it spicy, about 3 tsp cinnamon, about 1/2 tsp allspice, and about 1/4 fresh nutmeg. I also use less sugar for the icing about 3 cups but I start with 2 cups and taste it until it is just right. This icing is a HUGE hit with everyone, even people who don't usually like cream cheese icing. The cake is really moist and I have always used parchament paper so I have no problems getting the cake out of the pan. Best carrot cake recipe ever!!!!

This cake recipe did not work. I followed the instructions perfectly. I'm so dissapointed because it was a waste of my time and energy, not to mention my ingredients. It rose too high in a 9x13 pan and was too moist and sunk in the middle!

I made this carrot cake for the first time on 09/25/07. I took the suggestion of others and modified the recipe by reducing the oil to 3/4 cup, adding 1/2 cup of apple sauce, reducing the white sugar to 1 cup and adding 1 cup of light brown sugar. I also added 1/4 tsp of nutmeg. I did not add pecans or any nuts to the cake or frosting. The only change I made to the frosting was reducing the cofectioners' sugar to 3 cups. I chose to cook the cake in 2 9" round cake pans to make sure there wasn't any problems with the cake cooking through in the middle. It came out perfect! I would consider myself more of a beginner level cook!

This is my husband's favorite cake but we always purchased one from a bakery. So I was very intimidated trying this not only for him but for Christmas day with his family! The instructions were to the point and very easy to follow but most importantly it was an absolute HIT!! Everyone loved it especially my better half! I'd recommend this recipe to any and everyone! Sn: The middle took a little longer to cook than expected. I lowered the heat to about 250 degrees to let the inside cook without the top getting over cooked.

Yes, it is all that! Everything you want in a carrot cake. I like using brown sugar as do other reviewers. Here's my way to "grate" all those carrots. Peel and chop the carrots in chunks. Put 1/3 of them in the blender and cover with water about 2 inches above the carrots. Blend/pulse until finely chopped then pour into a fine sieve and drain well. Repeat the the rest of the carrots. Voila!

Yummy. I made a few minor changes here and there (including seperating the wet and dry, them folding the wet into the dry via quick bread method for a more delicate cake), omitted the pecans, replace 1/2 of the sugar with brown sugar, and used a different frosting recipe, but it still turned out great! Thak you.

Excellent recipe - the cake tastes even better the next day! I followed others' suggestions and reduced oil to 3/4 cup and added 1/2 cup applesauce. I added finely chopped walnuts instead of pecans. For personal preference, I reduced the sugar to 1 1/2 cups (using 1 cup brown) and added another 1/2 cup grated carrots. For the frosting, I halved the recipe (using 2 cups conf. sugar), and I didn't find it to be too sweet. It was more than enough to frost the top of the 13 X 9 cake. Next time I will further reduce the oil in the cake and add more applesauce - and perhaps try using some egg whites instead of whole eggs? This is truly the best carrot cake I have made. Thanks for sharing the recipe! -Reena

Not sure what went wrong...I bake a lot and have never had anything turn out so bad. It was really oily and had no good flavor at all...I tried making cupcakes so maybe that contributed, but I would never make this again.

This is by far the best carrot cake that I've ever made - moist, flavourful, no funky additions - perfect for the carrot cake purist. It tastes like an actual carrot cake, not a spice cake or a sort-of-fruit cake. I used half brown sugar and half white sugar, but used the full amount of oil (did not substitute applesauce) as I wanted to ensure that the cake was very moist. It was, and next time I'll use half applesauce and half oil. I made a layer cake (two 8 inch pans) and used less sugar for the icing. I also used walnuts in place of pecans. Terrific cake, and one that I'll be making again soon!

I've never made carrot cake before this & it turned out great! I did change a few things like some other people-1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup oil & 3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce, 3 tsp cinnamon and I substituted walnuts for the pecans. I also agree that 4 cups of confectioners sugar is probably a bit much, since I ended up using only 3 cups and it was perfect! I made a layer cake instead of a 9x13 and added walnuts to the sides. I think next time I would make more frosting, since the amount the recipe called for is really for a sheet cake. Otherwise, it was fantastic! My husband is strictly a chocolate cake/chocolate frosting guy and he could not say enough about how great he thought the cake was! I will definitely make this cake again!

WOW WOW WOW This was fantastic, once I followed the most suggested of reviews, I used 3/4 cup oil, and 1/2 c. applesauce, Increased the amounts of vanilla and cinnamon by one tsp.I also used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white. For the frosting, 3c. of powdered sugar was fine for my liking. I tested this recipe today to make for Easter and I am SURE that it will be a hit. Oh, also I used 2-9inch cake rounds and the cake was done in just under 40 minutes ( about 37 )

Excellent cake for a basis to put your own spin on it...did not fall in the middle like some reported, but that is because someone usually over-beats the cake batter. Put it in a 13x9 pan and it baked beautifully in 40 minutes...When making cakes with lots of spice, I usually split the sugar between white and light brown...gives the cake depths of flavor...usually, I add more vanilla (homemade, of course), cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, and nutmeg to put it over the top. As a professional private caterer, I must make sure that the majority of people who eat my food are satisfied...This cake will do that! Baking IS a science...but the flavors are up to the individual.

This is a great recipe to modify to make healthier while maintaining the flavor of the carrot cake. Instead of 1 1/4C oil, I used 1/2C of oil and 1 mashed banana. The recipe has all the fat it requires from the 4 eggs. In fact I have even used 3 eggs before and it still turns out moist and delicious. I use 2C of whole wheat flour (you can't tell) and about 1/4C-1/2C of ground flax. In addition to the cinnamon, I added about 1-2 tsp of cloves (to my liking). I also had 1/2 a zucchini left in teh fridge so I also grated that in there (ususally I don't include it but yesterday I thought why not!). I found that using 1 1/2C of sugar was plenty sweet already so I may decrease that by 1/4C since the banana was very ripe. I should also mention I used granulated cane sugar with a few drops of molasses instead of the while sugar. Brown sugar gives it more depth so using the cane with the molasses will get you there while using a higher quality of sugar. So with this carrot cake, you can sure get your serving of fruits and vegetables and yet make it healthy. These modifications can help you cut serious calories, increase your fibre intake, and still using high quality ingredients. I always get compliments on this cake and ladies in the office find it a perfect treat without the guilt.

Made this recipe for New Year's for the first time and it was delicious! Everyone loved it! Will definitely be doing again! Very yummy!

Love this carrot cake! Read all the reviews and condensed it down to these changes to make it as guilt free as possible, while adding a little extra spice: 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce (instead of 1.25 cup oil), 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup white suager (instead of 2 cps white sugar), 2 tsp vanilla (instead of 1 tsp), 1.5 cups flour and 1/2 cup ground flaxseed or grounded LSA (instead of 2 cups white flour), 3 tsp cinnamon (instead of 2 tsp), and EXTRAS were 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice. I used walnuts instead of pecans.

These turned out great! The only change I made was to add 1/2 up applesauce and 3/4 cup vegetable oil instead of the whole amount in oil. We also decided to make cupcakes, they were perfect cooked at 350 for 20-25 minutes. It made 18 medium sized cupcakes and there was plenty of icing for all of them following the recipe. These are going very fast and I am sure they will become a regular in our house. Thank you

After reading many reviews from others, I have decided to do the following: • substituted oil content with 1/2 cup of Applesauce & 1/3 cup of oil. • reduced sugar to 1 cup of brown sugar & 1/2 cup of white sugar. • added a additional tsp of vanilla, a can of crushed pineapple & 1/2 cup of raisins. I baked mine for 35 minutes as cake tester came out clean. As for the frosting, I halved the recipe and only used 1 cup of icing sugar to reduce the overall sweetness and save some CAL! My cake came out beautifully without sagging, but it was too moist and lacked the usual cake fluffiness. It's yummy though but still way too sweet for us. A 4-star for now but next time I guess I'll just reduce total sugar to only 1 cup, omit crushed pineapple and bake for additional 5 minutes... just to ensure that it is fluffy in the end! Thanks Tammy for the yummy recipe:)) UPDATES: Made this again on the night of Oct 27 09. I halved the recipe for an 8" round pan, reduced oil to 1/2 cup, subbed brown sugar for white with only 1 cup in total, added 1/2 cup of raisins (soaked in hot water, dried on paper tower and tossed with flour). Cake turned out to be so fluffy and yummy and not overly-sweet that I have immediately regretted of halving the recipe upon 1st bite! A 5-Star now...

The Most Moist and Delicious Carrot Cake! I did double the recipe and did not add nuts to the mix. I put them on the side of the round cake. i also made these changes, 1) using 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar 2) adding an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract 3) adding 1 8oz. can of crushed pineapple (I squeezed out most of the juice before adding it, I didn't want any extra fluids in the cake) 4) Added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg 5) added 1 extra teaspoon of cinnamon 6) used 3/4 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup applesauce. The result came out incredibly delicious - the cake was very flavorful and moist. For the frosting, I only used 3 cups of powdered sugar.

This recipe was very dissapointing. After all of the 5 star reviews, I expected the cake to be perfect. Like some of the others, mine rose too high in the pan and then collapsed, leaving a rubbery mess. I followed the recipe exactly, including the pan size, and my oven is completely accurate. I never opened the oven door, and my levening agents are fresh. I wonder if the reason it didn't work out is that unlike the others, I DIDN'T modify ~ I noticed that others who complained about their cake falling also said the followed the recipe exactly as written.

This came out great. I am rating it 4 stars instead of 5 for two reasons. First, it came out a little too moist for my tastes, although my husband loved it. This may be because I grated the carrots too small and they were a little mushy - I think next time I will follow the suggestion of using a larger cheese grater. Second, the frosting was not as thick as I prefer. I followed the recipe exactly with the following changes: used 1 c. white sugar and 1 c. brown sugar, added an extra tsp. of vanilla and cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, and used 3/4 c. canola oil and 1/2 c. applesauce instead of the vegetable oil. For the frosting, I doubled the recipe and ended up with MORE than enough (I made a layer cake with 2 9.5 inch pans) and probably didn't need to do that. For the doubled frosting, I used only 5 cups of sugar - would probably reduce by 1 cup next time. I cooked at about 335 degrees for 35 minutes, and the cakes were cooked perfectly. Update: second time around I did not use the applesauce. I bought 2 10oz bags of shredded carrots and chopped those in a blender, which was much easier than grating. I also sifted the dry ingredients first. I did not remember to check the bottom of the mixing bowl - remember to check this next time to make sure everything is well-mixed! The cakes did not come out as "pretty" as last time but still taste wonderful. I am changing my review to 5 stars. UPDATE: Made in 9x13 pan and it requires a large pan or overflows.

Amazing cake! I had lost my recipe for carrot cake so I decided to try this one based on the positive reviews--and boy, I wasn't disappointed! It was so moist and flavorful. I substituted 1/4 C. applesauce for some of the oil and used walnuts instead, and it turned out superb.

I may have done something wrong, but the cake rose too much and never dried in the middle. I had to dump it in the garbage. What a waste! I'll try again to figure out what I did wrong. Maybe I should've used 2 pans instead of one.

totally agree with this review, follow her directions: "After reading through 4-5 pages of the reviews, I consolidated the most referred alterations to this recipe to: 1) using 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar 2) adding an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract 3) adding 1 8oz. can of crushed pineapple (I squeezed out most of the juice before adding it, I didn't want any extra fluids in the cake) 4) Added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg 5) added 1 extra teaspoon of cinnamon 6) used 3/4 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup applesauce. "

This was my first time making carrot cake. I made it for my step daughter's birthday and it turned out wonderful. I made it the night before and it was very moist and yummy for the party. I didn't add the pecans because she doesn't like them. I also used one of the other recipes for the cream cheese frosting. So I can't comment on the icing. The one I used had a little less sugar and no pecans. Will definitely make again. Instead of a 9x13 pan I backed in 2, 9inch round pans for approx 20-25min. I was also careful not to over mix after reading some of the other reviews. As a side note, I appreciate it when other reviewers review recipes using the actual recipe. It would be nice if others would make the actual recipe then give suggestions for if it was to dry for example. But it doesn't help me to know if I want to try a recipe out when the reviewers haven't either. OK off my soapbox now. thanks

Fantastic carrot cake. This can easily hold up to cutting half the oil with applesauce, replacing the eggs with flax and water, and using brown sugar in place of the white. Add nutmeg and crust the sides of the cake with a walnut or pecan and nutmeg mix and it's wonderful. Makes a nice 2 layer cake out of 2 9" to 10" round pans, baked for about 40 minutes.

Very moist tasty cake. I added fresh grated ginger to carrots to add flavor and increased cinnamon just a bit, I use a vitamix so my carrots get pureed first rather than grated which provides a more uniform flavor and appearance. I used almonds instead of peacans in cake and no nuts in frosting. I omitted the butter from frosting and choose to use instead 2 8oz packages of light cream cheese and 2 cups sugar. My boys enjoyed licking the untensils after! Next time I will reduce fat more by using egg substitute and applesauce instead of oil. Decreasing the caloric value as much as possible is a must with this cake because it's just so good one can easily put on weight, you just can't stop eating it! lol Great cake, exactly what I've been looking for! Thanks

I did not have a good experience with this carrot cake. It was VERY DRY and I regretted making it for a dinner party. It wasn't very pretty either. One final complaint: do not try and get the cake out of the pan 10 min. out of the oven. It's too hot and will crumble.

Excellent recipe! Cooked it for my family and they loved it. Very moist. I cut the icing sugar in half and it was still sweet.......just right.

This cake was AMAZING!! I made it for my husband's birthday dinner and he loved it! He's not really into frosting, so I skipped the cream cheese frosting and topped it with homemade whipped cream sweetened with honey. It was so yummy!

This was a miracle cake for my household! I can never get my 5 yr old to eat carrots and even as she helped to grate the carrots she made faces, but with the finished product, she ate 4 pieces!!! A 'high 5' to you Tammy! I didn't find the cake to be oily at all, nor did it fall in the middle. I did leave out the pecans (allergies). Update: Have now made this lower in calories by subsituting the sugar with Splenda and using applesauce in place of the oil. I also cut the icing ingredients in half and it was still enough for the cake. Very delish & friendly for those who count 'points'.

This is an great recipe. I've made this several times and it always comes out extremely moist (even when over cooked). I usually double the recipe for both cake and frosting, I cut 1-2 cups of the confectioners sugar and add more butter and cream cheese. It cuts the sweetnes and adds to the richness of the frosting.

This recipe is ok as is, but 5 stars with changes. I sub walnuts for the pecans, sub brown sugar for white, add 1/2 t. nutmeg, sprinkle the walnuts on (not in) the icing, halve the sugar in the icing, and sub applesauce for 1/2 c. of the oil. I like carrot cakes that are spicy and simple, so I avoid the recipes that have raisins, pineapple and other oddball additions. Oh, I also increase the cinnamon by 1 t., but I do that in virtually all my baking. A bundt pan is done in 45-50 minutes depending on your oven.

This was phenomenal. It was so moist. Next time I'll do the suggested oil/apple sauce balance because it falls apart (not that I'm complaining too much). I only added 2 cups of sugar and that was plenty. Also, I folded 1 cup of crushed pineapples at the end before baking. Since this was a carrot cake, I substituted pineapple juice for lemon. Just tastes better IMO.

Just came back from a barbeque. The cake turned out so well that I was not embarrassed to serve it, even without icing. Scary though, not having a taste before serving it up to everyone. Made it healthier by using half whole wheat flour, and added some flax seed meal as well. Used 1 c white, 1/2 c brown sugar. Didn't even notice the extra sugar missing. Substituted oil with just 1/2 c olive oil and one and a half ground up apples, peels and all. I actually used my newly purchased Cuisinart to make the whole thing. First grated the carrots, set them aside, then popped the apples in to pulverize them, before adding all the wet ingredients directly into the bowl, including the carrots, and then all the dry ingredients were dumped on top in the bowl!!!, and the whole thing was then "processed." Boy, do I love my new processor. Baked only 35 minutes in my convection oven, and voila. It looked much more even than my usual hand mixed version. Did not add any walnuts. Thanks for the recipe!

I THINK THIS IS THE BEST. I ALWAYS USED A MARTHA STEWART RECIPE - MOVE OVER MARTHA- THIS IS BETTER. I MADE IT FOR A GRADUATION PARTY-RECEIVED RAVE REVIEWS,EVEN FROM THE KIDS.EVERYONE WANTS MY RECIPE.

I made the changes recommended by gneebeanie and it was a delicious carrot cake. Made it twice so far. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 simply because of the alterations that were required.

I loved this carrot cake recipe. Made it without changing a thing. but I have to make a comment. I have to agree with Tracy H. All of us are suppose to be judging the recipe in question, Not changing it and then judge are own. Also just my opinion. Bub G.

Awesome!!! This was my first attempt at making carrot cake, and this recipe is the best! I did what some reviewers suggested and substituted half of the oil with applesauce (I just bought a small bottle of baby food) and it turned out great! Very dense, a heavy dessert, so definitely leave a lot of room for it! My mom even ate it for breakfast!

This carrot cake was a hit all around. I tried it once as written. Then the second time used 1 c white sugar & 1 c brown sugar (to replace 2 c white sugar) and 3/4 C oil & 1/2 C applesauce (to replace 1 1/4 c oil). I also added 8 oz crushed pineapple (drained) and 1/2 c dried currants, then baked as cupcakes (350 degrees F) for 18 minutes. I did need 1 1/2 times the written amount of frosting. Made 3 dozen delicious cupcakes.