Classic carrot cake always makes a wonderful treat, but have you tried carrot cake with raisins? This delicious cake also boasts toasted nuts and a sweet cream cheese frosting. This delectable dessert is sure to impress at any gathering or special occasion.
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Maybe you've tried to sneak extra veggies into the kids' dinners, but you know what, it's so much easier serving those veggies in a cake!
Nobody can say no to a slice of moist, tasty carrot cake with raisins, and that includes the little ones too. Make this and watch it disappear, and fast!
Oh, and if you want a dairy-free alternative, this dairy free carrot cake is pretty amazing too. Or if you are looking for something even simpler, you can make this carrot mug cake in only two minutes!
Main Ingredients
Have you ever made a carrot cake before? If not, don't worry. It's a pretty easy recipe and you will probably already have a lot of the ingredients to hand. Here are the main ones:
- Carrots: The star of the show. Of course, the carrots are the most important part of the cake. You're going to need grated, or finely shredded carrots for this recipe. Either peel and shred your own or buy them ready-shredded (find them in the salad aisle) to save time and energy.
- Raisins: To add a sweet, fruity touch. Raisins add sweetness as well as a contrasting chewy texture. There are various types of raisins to choose from, including golden raisins, currants, sultanas, and more. Any of these will work in this recipe, or you could even substitute another type of dried fruit such as cranberries, “Craisins” or dried cherries.
- Walnuts: For nutty crunch. Fruit and nuts go together so well and the sweetness of carrots is also amazing with the savory crunch of walnuts. Want to try something else? Consider pecans or hazelnuts for a change of pace.
- Cinnamon: To give aromatic warmth. This warm, earthy spice really brings out the rich carrot flavor. If you like, swap some of the cinnamon for nutmeg which also goes well here.
- Crushed pineapple: Adds another dimension to the sweet taste. Pineapple is a versatile fruit that is just as good in classic carrot cake as it is in coconut-based desserts and savory Hawaiian dishes. You will be draining it first, so it doesn't matter whether you opt for pineapple in juice or in syrup.
Instructions Overview
To make this incredible carrot cake with raisins, toss the carrots with brown sugar and let them sit for an hour. Then mix in the raisins.
Beat the eggs and then add oil, vanilla, and white sugar. Drain the pineapple and mix that in too.
In another bowl, you can combine the flour with the salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir this into the egg mixture.
Next up, mix in the carrot mixture and nuts, then divide the batter between a pair of greased, floured cake pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then frost and decorate with nuts.
Common Questions
You know what? There is no right or wrong answer here. After all, if you're making the cake, it's totally your call what goes into it, and since raisins are so amazing here, I'd heartily recommend adding them!
We are using oil rather than butter to keep the cake tender and moist. However, there is such a thing as too moist. This can happen if you don't drain the pineapple enough. Don't just tip it into a sieve. Wring the pineapple in a clean tea towel to remove all the excess liquid. You will be surprised how much comes out with this method.
This is a rare occurrence, but if this happened to you, you might be curious why. There are two likely reasons. First of all, undercooking the cake is going to mean an undercooked middle, so do the toothpick test. Second, expired baking soda can cause this too, so check the expiration date on your box first!
Carrot cake is one that freezes beautifully, even after being frosted. You should keep it in the fridge for 8 hours first to firm up the frosting. Then wrap it well and it will stay good in your freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before you plan to serve it.
No, this recipe isn’t gluten-free, however, you can swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version. Choose your gluten-free flour wisely with a brand that measures cup for cup so you won’t have to add any binding agents.
According to historians, carrot cake came about in the Middle Ages. Sugar wasn’t very common so the natural sweetness of the carrots was a hit for using in cakes. On written record, the earliest known recipe hails from a French cookbook from 1827.
You’ll want to use oil in your carrot cake as the recipe shows. This keeps everyone’s favorite spiced cake moist and delicious.
Chopnotch Tips
- Give the carrots and brown sugar ample time to sit. This really gets the wonderful rich sweetness of the sugar into every shred of carrot.
- Not in the mood for walnuts? Pecans are also really good here or try hazelnuts or even some of each. Not sure if anyone is allergic to nuts? You can also just leave them out.
- It's important to let the cake layers cool before adding the frosting or else things might get messy!
- If you're grating your own carrots rather than using the ready-shredded kind, don't grate them too thick, or else they might not be soft and tender in the finished cake.
Carrot cake with raisins makes a healthy(ish!) treat for the little ones or an impressive centerpiece at any kind of gathering.
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Let us know what you think! Give this recipe a rating in the comments section below.
Recipe
How to Make
Carrot Cake with Raisins
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 6 cups carrots, grated
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Combine together 1 cup brown sugar and 6 cups of grated carrots. Leave it for an hour, then stir in 1 cup raisins.
- Grease and flour 2 cake pans (10 inch).
- Beat eggs in a bowl, then add in 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 ½ cups white sugar. Stir in 1 cup crushed and drained pineapple.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon salt, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3 cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda. Stir this mixture into a bowl with wet mixture.
- Once absorbed, stir in carrot mixture and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour this mixture into the cake pans evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean from the center, for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Once done, take out from the oven and let it cool. Top with cream cheese frosting once cool.
Notes
- Give the carrots and brown sugar ample time to sit. This really gets the wonderful rich sweetness of the sugar into every shred of carrot.
- Not in the mood for walnuts? Pecans are also really good here or try hazelnuts or even some of each. Not sure if anyone is allergic to nuts? You can also just leave them out.
- It's important to let the cake layers cool before adding the frosting or else things might get messy!
- If you're grating your own carrots rather than using the ready-shredded kind, don't grate them too thick, or else they might not be soft and tender in the finished cake.
Exelent carrot 🥕 cake! I can’t wait too make it!!! I love Carrot 🥕 cake! Thank you soooo much for the recipe!!!🤤🤤🤤♥️♥️♥️♥️
You're welcome, Norma! Let me know how it turned out!
Thank you for this recipe
You're welcome, Leah!