The Best Carrot Cake Ever [+ video recipe] - The Tortilla Channel (2024)

FAQs

Should I refrigerate carrot cake before frosting? ›

"Prepare, bake, and cool the cake completely. Then, wrap each cake layer in cling film, nice and tight, and place in the fridge for at least two hours," he says. That's right, you won't be frosting your cake at room temperature; a chilled cake is essential before applying any frosting. "This step is the most important.

"Raisins are controversial in a carrot cake," says Saffitz. Whether or not you add them is up to your tolerance for the chewy little nuggets—same goes for chopped walnuts (just be sure to toast them first for better flavor).

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

It can be served cold, slightly chilled or at room temperature but I prefer slightly chilled. Once it's frosted on the outside and before it's sliced, you don't need to cover it (although a cake dome is never a bad idea) but once it's sliced, cover the open side with plastic wrap.

Yes, you can. It's best practice to decorate the cake as close to the day of serving as possible, but it will also store well in the fridge. If the icing or frosting has any perishable ingredients, we recommend storing the cake in the fridge to keep it as fresh as possible.

In short, yes, cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated. This food safety rule applies to both cream cheese frosting in a bowl and any baked good that might have cream cheese frosting, such as a red velvet cupcake or a carrot cake bundt cake.

Seriously though, if using only natural carrots, it is hard to get a significant carroty taste in a cake, mainly because 1) carrots don't have a very strong taste, 2) some of the taste is lost with cooking, and 3) the native texture and taste of a cake overwhelm whatever taste is remaining in the carrots.

Is it better to use butter oil in carrot cake? Normally I'm all about the butter, baby. But when it comes to homemade cakes, oil is typically the better choice. Vegetable oil produces a more moist, tender cake than butter.

The Calorie Content of Carrot Cake vs.

However, even though carrot cake has a higher fat content, it can bit a healthier choice compared to regular cakes especially because carrot cake is made with whole wheat flour, which is a healthier choice of flour, unlike white flour.

However, if you find your carrot cake to be a little too bland, the first solution should be to up the number of spices you're using or try a little more of a neutral-flavored ingredient like white sugar that will bring out the taste of carrots instead of overpowering them.

Should you refrigerate homemade carrot cake? ›

Even when the cake is baked, bacteria can still grow, so everything still needs to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage and foodborne illness. Carrot cake and frosting are also easier to tame when they're cold, so unless it's time to serve up some slices, keep your cake in the fridge.

Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explains that carrots turn green when the batter “contains too much baking soda, or when the soda isn't evenly mixed in the batter.” Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance.

Carrot cake usually tastes better the next day, so it's a great recipe to make ahead of time. Simply keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Room Temperature: Carrot cake, without any cream cheese frosting, can last at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days. Ensure it's stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Due to the cream cheese in the frosting which has a high moisture content, this cake needs to be refrigerated. The good news is that since the cake layers are made with oil (not butter), they will remain soft even when cold. Cover the cake well and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Before You Start

Attempting to spread frosting onto warm cake layers is a recipe for sloppy disaster. Chill your cake layers for at least 2 hours, or better, overnight. If you've made your frosting ahead, make sure it's at room temperature before you start.

Cold Cakes Make for Fewer Crumbs

Instead of simply trying to frost it at room temperature, wrap the layers in plastic and put them in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or even overnight. In fact, the layers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week if you need to space out your cake baking project.