This guide lays out the perfect carrot cake recipe for you to follow

Carrot cake is just one of the many brilliant desserts one can make with carrots. This naturally sweet vegetable takes on a brilliant flavour when made into a cake. It’s moist and soft and has a delectable cream cheese topping that perfectly complements it. This carrot cake recipe has everything you need to know to make the perfect carrot cake.

Ingredients:

• 260 gm chopped pecans
• 300 gm packed light or dark brown sugar
• 100 gm granulated sugar
• 240 ml vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 133 gm smooth unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 312 gm all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 260 gm grated carrots
• Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 452 gm full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 113 gm unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 480 gm confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F or 150°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the chopped pecan nuts on the sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool at room temperature.
• Turn up the oven to 350°F or 177°C. Grease two cake pans and set aside.
• In a bowl, add the sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well until no lumps remain.
• In another bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well.
• Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing well the whole time.
• Add the carrots and some of the toasted pecans into the mixture. Mix well.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30 minutes. You know it's done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.
• In the meanwhile, add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl. Using a handheld mixer, beat them together. Or use a blender. Then add the sugar, vanilla and salt. Keep beating until completely combined. It should have a nice creamy texture. If the frosting is too think, add more sugar. And if it's too thick, add some milk. If it's too sweet, add another pinch of salt. The frosting should be soft, but not so runny that it can't stay on the cake.
• Use a knife to level the cakes, creating a flat surface. Add a layer of cake on the serving plate. Cover the top with an even layer of frosting. Then place the second cake on top and add more frosting. Cover the side of the cake with frosting too. Sprinkle the remaining pecans on top as decoration. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing, since cooling it will help it hold it's shape.
• Leftover cake can be stored in the fridge for 5 days.

Notes, tips and tricks:

• You can use walnuts or raisins instead of pecans, or skip the nuts altogether. 
• If you don't have applesauce, use crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, sour cream or yogurt.
• When grating the carrots, try to ensure they are all even and that youve not added any big chunks by mistake.
• If instead of simply spreading the frosting you want to pipe specific patterns on top of the cake, remember to let the frosting sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes before you pipe it on. This will help it hold its shape.
• Get creative. You can add more flavours like cinnamon and nutmeg or additions like shredded coconuts to the batter. You can top it with a different frosting or add chocolate sauce on top. You can serve it with whipped cream on top or a scoop of ice cream on the side. You can add some carrot slices on top of each slice of cake. You can use fondant to create mini carrots to decorate the cake. The possibilities are endless and fascinating.
• Instead of a cake, you can also make carrot cupcakes. Simply transfer the batter into cupcake liners, filling them ⅔ full. Bake for about 25 minutes and keep a close eye to check when it's done.