This is one of my oldest carrot cake recipes which I call The Mrs. Fields’ Carrot Cake because it’s adapted from a different recipe from Debbie Fields. Looking at it now, I don’t think I should have called it “Mrs. Fields” because I made so many changes. But that’s what it goes by and it’s what I have been making on and off for years. Usually I make carrot cake with oil, but this carrot cake cake is all about the butter.
Everything Style Carrot Cake
This is an “everything style” carrot cake with walnuts, raisins, pineapple and coconut. I refuse to make it if I am missing any one of those elements. Well, except the coconut. It’s fine without the coconut. But I recommend keeping the pineapple. I suspect the pineapple and the juices that seep out it of react with the baking soda, which is why there is so much baking soda.
Tablespoon of Baking Soda
This seems like a lot of baking soda, but it reacts with the acid from the pineapple and brown sugar. It also makes the cake darker, which is a quality I like in carrot cake. For a lighter colored and less dense carrot cake OR if you are leaving out the pineapple, you can use 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. I like the dark color of the baking soda version. For the cake in the photo below, I baked two layers with the baking soda and baking powder combo and 1 layer with baking soda. Can you tell which layer has the soda?
Mixing Method
To keep the cake dense and heavy, this cake calls for a slightly different mixing method — one similar to the two stage method, but not quite the same. You mix all the dry ingredients, add partially melted butter then mix well with one of the eggs. You then add the remaining eggs and other ingredients, beating until everything is well combined. The cake should look like this.
Two 9-inch or Three 8-inch
This cake can be prepared as two 9-inch layers or three 8-inch layers. If you make the three layer version you’ll need to make 1 ½ times the frosting. If you want to make it as a smaller cake but still layered, you can make ⅔ of the recipe and use two 8-inch pans. I haven’t tested a 6-inch version yet, but I think a half batch would fit nicely between two 6-inch round cake pans.
If you try the cake, let me know what you think! It’s definitely a moist carrot cake, and the extra butter adds to the flavor. That being said, there are a lot of great oil based cake with tons of flavor from the spices and there are some good cakes made with honey and maple syrup. My personal favorite is Divorce Cake.
Recipe
Mrs. Fields’ Carrot Cake
A butter based carrot cake with a little of everything. If you like more spices in your cake, add a pinch or two of nutmeg and cardamom.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (330 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt (increase to ¾ teaspoon if using unsalted)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (200 grams)
- 3 sticks salted butter, very soft, almost melted (12 oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (150 grams)
- 3 cups grated carrots (shred then chop the shredded carrots)** (300 grams)
- ⅔ cup sweetened flaked coconut or ½ cup unsweetened
- ½ cup drained crushed pineapple, measured after draining
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces softened cream cheese
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
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This is an optional step, but if you are using raisins and pineapple, you can soak the raisins in pineapple juice for about an hour before baking. Otherwise, soak them in water.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans or 3 8-inch cake pans.
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In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugars until evenly blended. If you have a stand mixer, do this with the paddle attachment on low.
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Add the extremely soft (partially melted) butter, one egg and vanilla; blend with electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. And remaining eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition.
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Add carrots, pineapple, raisins and walnuts. Mix on medium until thoroughly combined.
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Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake in center of oven for about 35 minutes. Toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes. Invert cakes on rack and cool to room temperature.
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To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the softened butter. Beat until smooth and creamy, then add the salt, vanilla and powdered sugar. With the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, beat on high for two minutes or until it is light and fluffy.
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Spread the frosting over the cakes, stack and frost top and sides. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Unless you like bigger shreds of carrots, shred the carrots in a food processor on using a grater, then put them on a cutting board and chop them into smaller pieces with a chef’s knife.
