Glazed Carrot Cake

By
November 2024 View more

By Kelli Ra Anderson

Glazed Carrot Cake

Move over, pumpkin pie. This Southern favorite is so epic it graces birthday and celebration tables all year round—including Thanksgiving. The addition of coconut and pineapple impart extra moisture, tender texture, and bright flavor. But the pièce de résistance is a buttery-hot, tangy, buttermilk glaze soaked into the hot cakes as they cool, which makes this cake so crave-worthy.

No carrot cake is complete, however, without cream-cheese frosting, which—despite its few, simple ingredients—can be tricky to get right. Since cream-cheese frosting can be notoriously loose and difficult to hold shape, this recipe includes cornstarch to help firm up the frosting’s structure without sacrificing flavor to create a cake that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

MAKES 10 servings

Glazed Carrot Cake ingredients

CAKE INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1¼ cup buttermilk
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cups crushed, well-drained pineapple
2 cups fresh carrot, peeled and grated (using larger holes)
1 cup pecans, chopped
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
½ cup butter

Pouring the glaze on a baked carrot cake

CAKE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans then line with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Whisk the eggs, oil, ¾ cups buttermilk, vanilla, and 2 cups sugar until combined (about 2 minutes) and stir into the flour mixture.

4. Gently fold in carrots, pecans, coconut, and pineapple.

5. Divide batter between both pans and bake on the middle rack until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean (about 45 minutes).

6. Eight minutes before the cakes are done, bring the corn syrup, remaining ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup butter, and 1 cup sugar to a rolling boil (usually about 3 to 5 minutes). Remove immediately from heat.

7. When cakes are done, remove them from the oven and slowly pour the hot glaze over the tops (still in their pans), allowing glaze to gradually soak in. Leave to cool.

PRO TIP: Freshly grate carrots for maximum moisture. Do not use bagged (read: dry) grated carrots.

 

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 6-ounce full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
6 cups powdered sugar
½ cup corn starch
2 teaspoons vanilla

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter in a stand mixer for two minutes until fluffy. Add the softened cream cheese and beat again until fully combined. Add vanilla and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. On slow speed, gradually mix in 1 cup of powdered mixture at a time, scraping down the sides until all is incorporated.

3. Stack and frost the cakes.

 

Photos: Kellira Media