Carrot Top Cake

By Molly O’Neill

Published November 6, 1990

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Rating
4(116)
Comments
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Renee Allen Mancino, the owner of the Carrot Top Pastries with locations in Inwood and Washington Heights in Manhattan, gave The New York Times this recipe for her beloved carrot cake. Her tips: California carrots are best; carrots grated too far ahead of time won’t give a cake proper moisture; vegetable oil bakes more evenly in the batter than butter. Go to!

Featured in: DE GUSTIBUS; From Bitter Seeds, Carrot Cake Empire

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

FOR THE CAKE

  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 3 cups freshly ground carrots (about 7 medium carrots)

  • 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

  • 2 cups flour

  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 4 eggs

FOR THE FROSTING

  • ¼ cup ( ½ stick) butter, at room temperature

  • ¼ cup solid vegetable shortening

  • 1 ½ cups ( ¾ pound) cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

107 grams carbs; 139 milligrams cholesterol; 1072 calories; 32 grams monosaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 69 grams fat; 2 grams trans fat; 4 grams fiber; 487 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 77 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use one tablespoon of the vegetable oil to grease a 9- by 11-inch sheet pan.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, sugar, carrots, walnuts, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir to combine, then add eggs and mix well. Pour the batter into the pan and cook for 45 minutes or until the cake is springy to the touch. Remove from oven and cool, in pan.

  3. Step 3

    To make the frosting, cream the butter, vegetable shortening and cream cheese with a wooden spoon or hand mixer. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Add the confectioners' sugar and stir until smooth. When cake is cooled, frost.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
116 user ratings
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Comments

Melissa

Best carrot cake I’ve ever made! Fantastic! Followed recipe and freshly grated the carrots. Delicious.

Nick, Sarah, and Genesee

Do not add raisins.

Donna in CT

I've been making this carrot cake since I first read the story behind it in the Times in 1990, and giving the recipe to friends and family who have tasted it, for just as many years. And there is no better recipe for carrot cake, according to all of us! My only change is to use pecans instead of walnuts. I usually don't frost the cake, but dust it with powdered sugar, though it doesn't even need this to be perfect. Keeps for several days, or can be frozen.Often make it in 5 or 6 mini loaf pans.

Roger

The only one I ever make. There's nothing better.

Ola

A great, bullet-proof recipe. All in one bowl! I made this after throwing away yet *another* failed, stodgy ATK version. This is the one I'll be using from here on out. One minor thing to note– mine ballooned a bit more than it should have because I didn't have walnuts on hand.

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