Carrot cake may be one hotly contested dessert, but we can all agree that the best carrot cake recipes turn out moist layers that are warmly (but not overly) spiced. Ideally, those layers should be studded with a few choice ingredients to keep the texture interesting; and they must be hidden under a layer of cream cheese frosting so thick someone might mistake the dessert for a cheesecake.
To achieve our dream carrot cake, we stripped the dessert of all nonessential ingredients. Crushed pineapple? Gone. Coconut? No more. The two add-ins we left in the mixing bowl: golden raisins and toasted walnuts. Plumped with rum, the raisins add pops of juicy sweet flavor throughout the layer cake. Strongly anti-raisin? Leave them out if you must. We found the walnuts key, however, for the texture they add to the tender crumb (pecans make a worthy substitute).
We streamlined the spices, too, but turned up the volume on each for maximum impact without muddied flavors. Cinnamon and ground ginger take the lead (2 teaspoons each), while a whisper of nutmeg (just ½ teaspoon) adds woodsy, floral balance that beautifully complements the earthy sweet carrots. When selecting your carrots, opt for medium-size ones (larger carrots can be starchy and bland) and shred them on the small holes of a box grater or with the grating disc of a food processor—large shreds of grated carrot may not soften adequately in the time it takes the layers to bake.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in our May 2016 issue.
