Mama’s Famous Carrot Cake

My husband and I brought two desserts to our Easter family get together this year. We wanted to give the family somewhat of a dessert option, and since I was the one in charge of bringing dessert, I knew I had to act upon it. 🙂

Some people love chocolate, some don’t really like it. Some crave something richer after dinner, some crave something very light after dinner. Some want little bites, some like big pieces. It’s truly all over the place when it comes to sweets. So in order to try to please most palates, we brought two completely different types of dessert to the party. One of them was this gorgeous carrot cake. Doesn’t it look just super pretty? Ahh – I love it.

I’ll be sure to post the recipe to the other dessert we brought very soon — Connor, I promised I will, so stay tuned!
(Connor is our cousin and she requested that I pass on the recipe to the other dessert, when we saw her the following day. I think she liked it!) 

This cake is my mom’s recipe, which is why I have named it “Mama’s Famous Carrot Cake” (I used the word “mama” because that’s what “mom” is in Spanish — and my mama and I are from Ecuador, so it’s very fitting.) Everyone who knows my mama, knows about her carrot cake. Friends and family are always asking her to bring this dessert whenever she offers to bring something to a party. Some people will even call her up and request that she make it for a special event they’ll be having soon. It is THAT good. Crowds can confirm.

I must say though, nothing compares to having this cake in Ecuador made by my mama’s hands with love. It tastes so much better when she does it (even when I follow her same exact recipe to the “T”.) Could it be the mother’s love she used to make the cake? Or perhaps the fact that I did not have to move a finger to make it, and I can still enjoy it? I am not sure what it is — but oh my, when I have a slice of this carrot cake made by her, I savor every last crumb like it’s the first treat I have tasted in my life.

I am sharing her famous recipe with you today, because I want you to be able to make it for your very own special occasions. I want you to be able to make it for your family and have them experience that same baking love that I experience when my mama makes it for me. It’s magical. I love family recipes so very much for that reason; they have history ingrained in them, continuous memories to savor, and they offer so much hope. And what is this “hope”, you may ask? The hope that love and kindness will be passed on sweetly from one generation to the next. And love…well, love is all we have, so be sure to pass it on! XO

 

Mama’s Famous Carrot Cake
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Mariel Lewis
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15 slices
Ingredients
  • [b]For the cake[/b]
  • 3 cups carrots, peeled and grated
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup grape seed oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups white flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • [br]
  • [b]For the cream cheese frosting[/b]
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Grease and flour cake pan. Set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine baking soda and grated carrots. Set aside.
  4. Sift flour and spices (cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt.) Place in a standing mixer’s mixing bowl.
  5. Add brown sugar, white sugar, milk, oil and eggs. Mix well using medium speed.
  6. Remove bowl from standing mixer and fold in walnuts and carrots.
  7. Pour mixture into cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until your cake passes the ‘knife test’ (just keep an eye and make sure it does not overcook or burn!)
  8. Let cool completely before removing cake from cake pan; while it cools, prepare your frosting.
  9. For frosting: wash your standing mixer’s bowl and add cream cheese to it, place under high speed until cheese becomes soft. Add lime and vanilla extract to your cream cheese, and keep on mixing. Add in powdered sugar in small quantities, until mixture reaches a soft creamy consistency.
  10. Once cooled completely, remove cake from pan and place it on a pretty dish. Add frosting and sprinkle some lime zest on top for decoration. Slice and enjoy!
Serving size: 1 slice — Calories: 528 Fat: 24.2 g. Carbohydrates: 74 g. Protein: 5.6 g.
Notes
Tools You’ll Need:[br]- Bundt cake pan (10 1/2″ diam., 3 3/4″ high.) – [url href=”http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/nordic-ware-formed-aluminum-bundt-cake-pan/?pkey=ccake-pans%7Cbundt-cake-pans%7C&cm_src=cake-pans%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_–_-“]like this one sold at William’s Sonoma[/url][br]- Standing mixer[br]- Food processor with shredding disk[br]- Sifter[br]- Mixing bowls[br]- Spatula[br]- Measuring cups[br]- Measuring spoons

Mama's Famous Carrot Cake recipe. A total crowd pleaser! Mama's Famous Carrot Cake recipe. A total crowd pleaser! Mama's Famous Carrot Cake recipe. A total crowd pleaser! Mama's Famous Carrot Cake recipe. A total crowd pleaser! Mama's Famous Carrot Cake recipe. A total crowd pleaser!

By Mariel Lewis

I'm an avid blogger passionate about health, fitness, and food! I love cooking with natural ingredients. This passion drives me to dream up fun culinary creations that not only nourish the body but taste great! Eating healthy doesn't have to be a drag, try some of my Amazing Foodie recipes and let me know what you think! :)