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When I lived in Washington DC I used to get the best carrot cake in the world from of all places the food court at either Union Station, Pentagon City or in White Flint Mall. They must all used to buy it from the same place. I'm thinking it was a store like TCBY or something like that but I can't recall. It has been so long ago. It was almost like maybe it was steamed or something - very moist. I remember it had nuts of some sort and even maybe crushed pineapple. It was very dark and rich. What I do recall is that it was not like a spice cake that had shredded carrots in it - that is what most of the carrot cakes that I come across taste like... and that is what I don't want. It has been maybe 20 years and I always compare carrot cake to the one I used to get and all have come up short so far. Maybe some of you from the DC area know that I am talking about. At any rate, I would love to find a recipe for an awesome carrot cake like that or maybe if you are from the DC area and know the source of what I am talking about. I am not much of a cook but I would actually want to practice how to make a great carrot cake like the one I remember. For some weird reason I've just been thinking about this cake and thought maybe somewhere out there knows about it or something similar. It really was some cake

Sherry, I have a real good Carrot Cake recipe but it has Cinnamon and pineapple also nuts with a cream cheese frosting. If you want it let me know. Sue

Yes please post it. Who knows it could be similar.

Carrot Cake
Farm Journal Cookbook

2 Cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple including juice (use juice packed)
2 cups chopped nuts
2 1/2 cups flour packed
2 cups grated carrots ( about 4)
Mix all together Put in greased 9 X 13" pan Bake 350 about 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 Cup soft butter
8 oz pack soft cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3 to 4 cups confectioners sugar
whip all together and frost cooled cake, sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.
A good Buttercream frosting works really well with this cake.
This cake is very moist and dense. We really like it. I hope you do to. Sue

Mine is very similar to Sue MI. Unfortunately, its at home and I'm not, so I can't share it with you. Mine had coconut, pineapple and nuts in addition to the carrots. A cream cheese frosting.

Yes, moist and dense is how I would describe that cake. It was not at all like a spice cake. Thnaks

I don't know where my recipe is. When son and his cousins were little they would eat my "spice" cake. One day son caught me shredding carrots and was surprised they were going into the "spice" cake. Nothing new...you've been eating it all along before you knew carrots were in it...so he decided it was no big deal. He didn't blab to the cousins until they had eaten half their slice at the next family gathering.

sherry, that's funny. Kids can never keep a secret can they?

Here is my recipe, I've fiddled with over 20 years, I cook and puree the majority of the carrots, and shred the others superfine.


Carrot Cake

5 large carrots

3 cups all purpose flour

2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (bi-carb)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg ( I love freshly grated nutmeg)

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 cups fine granulated sugar

1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt or buttermilk

1/2 cup sunflower or vegetable oil

juice & zest from 1 orange

1 small tin crushed pineapple in juice, drained

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup moist coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I grind them finely in a food processor)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C (fan forced) 325*F, butter and flour 3- 10 inch cake pans and set aside (I cut baking paper to line the bottom of each pan).

Place 3 of the washed carrots into a small pan and boil or steam until tender, drain and mash until smooth. Add applesauce, 1/2 cup coconut, drained pineapple, chopped pecans, zest from orange and grate the remaining carrot into the same bowl and set aside. Sift the first 8 dry ingredients and set aside. In large bowl of mixer ( I use my paddle attatchment instead of whisk) I blend sugar and oil, then the orange juice with enough pineapple juice to make 1/2 cup, at this point I start to slowly add my flour mixture, alternating with my eggs, mixing only until combined, turn off mixer , remove bowl and stir in by hand carrot mixture, folding in sour cream and vanilla at the end. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans, bake cakes 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.
** 1/2 cup rasins or sultanas can also be added to the cake, and folded in by hand at the end, but I prefer not too, if I do add them I soak them for at least an hour in enough juice to cover them (orange or apple juice) to rehydrate them so they don't wick the moisture out of the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 packages cream cheese (250 grams each) 8 oz.
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time beating between each addition, add vanilla and beat until creamy. Spread icing between cake layers, and on sides and top. Press toasted coconut onto sides of cake, decorate top of cake around outside edge with pecan halves.

**optional - 1 cup toasted coconut, and/or pecan halves to decorate iced cake, or reserve a lil frosting and color green and orange to make a few carrots with tops on top of cake. A lil' finely grated zest from orange can be added to the icing for extra flavor (or a bit of orange extract) my sister complains when I do this as she likes it plain, but others love it!

Our family favorite if from Southern Living magazine (try Googling best carrot cake)long recipie but not difficult, just follow directions exactly! Enjoy.