Carrot cake is a beloved dessert and a personal favourite of mine. It perfectly balances sweetness and spice with each bite. From its rich flavour to its moist texture, a carrot cake will never fail to feel like a warm hug. And for that reason, I think that’s why carrot cake tends to be extra popular during the cooler months. For me, I like to indulge in my carrot cake all year long – it’s too good to postpone until a chill comes about.
Cooking from Cookbooks Series
Episode 1: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
As part of my new Instagram series, I have vowed to make more of an effort to use the many cookbooks I have sitting on my shelf. I have all of these stunning cookbooks full of delicious recipes, yet sometimes get stuck cooking the same recipes over and over. So rather than stick to my favourite recipes, I’m branching out and trying new dishes in some of my favourite cookbooks.
And for the first episode of my Cooking from Cookbook series, I am using Liv B’s Cookbook.
Liv B, a food blogger and content creator, has been a favourite of mine ever since I transitioned to a plant-based diet. Her recipes are always easy to follow and are made with simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
While she has some of her amazing recipes can be found on her blog, Pinterest or Instagram, her cookbooks are chocked full of incredible dishes that you won’t want to miss out on. Her chocolate chip cookie recipe from page 193. has been my go-to since I first made them. I’ve made so many batches of her cookies that the page of the cookbook looks like it may have been used as a cookie sheet at some point. It hasn’t, but it’s been through some stuff!
What Makes A Good Carrot Cake
1. Carrots, obviously.
Carrots are obviously a big proponent of this sweet treat and deserve some recognition. The addition of grated carrots in this cake allows for the perfect texture, subtle sweetness, and the optional amount of moisture that one looks for in a cake.
Baking Tip: The type of carrots you use will make a difference texture-wise. If you used pre-packaged carrots, this might result in a drier cake. If you freshly grate your carrots, your cake will have better texture and moisture.
Full disclosure, I used packaged carrots for the recipe because that was all I had. I found the texture to be perfect.
2. Spices
Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg help to add a certain warmth to a carrot cake making it so appealing in the cooler months. The spices, while subtle, are the perfect to place the sweet carrot flavour but also give this cake its depth.
3. Frosting
This has to be my favourite part of this recipe. I will no doubt be using this recipe for cream cheese frosting over and over again. Seriously, don’t be surprised if you find yourself hovering over the sink licking the spatula and mixing bowl so clean they sparkle.
This recipe creates the most delightfully tangy and creamy topping that complements the spiced cake perfectly and helps to balance the sweetness. This delicious frosting is made using cream cheese and is whipped to a smooth consistency and generously spread over the cake.
Do not sleep on this frosting. From the first taste, I knew this was a frosting recipe that I would come back to many times. It’s so perfectly light and fluffy. It adds to the cake but doesn’t overpower it with sweetness.
Baking Tip: Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent the icing from melting.
Steps
As I mentioned, Liv B’s recipes are easy to follow and don’t have wild unheard-of ingredients. I like knowing that no matter what page I open, it’s going to be a fuss-free recipe that’s easy to follow.
1. Add wet ingredients to a mixing bowl.
2. In another bowl, add dry ingredients together.
3. Combine the bowl of wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix.
4. Stir in shredded carrots. Mix and pour into a cake tin and bake.
6. Add frosting ingredients to a mixing bowl and use a mixer to whip into a fluffy consistency.
7. Once the cake is cool, add frosting, spreading evenly over the entire cake.
Carrot Cake: A Love Language
I decided to make this Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and bring it to my in-law’s house for a celebration. It is always a challenge to please everyone because some people have individual preferences, dietary restrictions or allergies. Which is totally fine, I just mean it’s hard to find a recipe that everyone will love. I’m happy to report that this cake was a huge success. In fact, I was relieved to see people going back for more slices. I could see the panic in my partner’s eyes as he realized we had less and less to take home. All this is to say that, this recipe was a hit with the family and something that I will make more often.
Conclusion
Carrot cake is such a delightful dessert that brings together a harmonious combination of flavours and textures, making it a timeless classic. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice, this recipe is super easy to follow with a very rewarding outcome. I can also guarantee that you will be in love with this icing.
If you don’t have Liv B’s Vegan on a Budget Cookbook yet, I highly recommend adding this one to your collection. It has so many amazing, easy and budget-friendly recipes that you’ll fall in love with. This Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe was so delightful, just like all the other recipes I’ve tried by Liv. If you have the cookbook already, flip to page 187 and give this Carrot Cake recipe a try. Like me, I’m sure you’ll find yourself making this again and again.
If you are not able to purchase the cookbook at this time, no problem! Liv B’s blog has so many wonderful and easy vegan recipes for you to look at!
And, if you’re interested in seeing other dishes from the books in my stack, check out more from my Cooking from Cookbooks series.
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