18 June 2020

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com

Olive Oil Carrot Cake can, of course, be made with another oil; but I only ever have on hand extra virgin olive oil. I use it for everything, even frying (not deep fat). This isn't the place for a sharp, bitter, or super expensive oil; use a nice fruity extra virgin olive oil. 

My recipe calls for a different technique than you usually find in carrot cake recipes. Instead of mixing completely by hand, I use an electric hand mixer for part of the recipe (as in Olive Oil Apple Cake). 

It is an easy cake, but special care must be taken when mixing in the olive oil. Be sure to add it in a slow, steady stream, fully incorporating it as you go. This eliminates the thing some people don't like about carrot cake, the oiliness of it.

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com


Cream Cheese Frosting is the classic frosting for any carrot cake, and there's a reason for that--it's really good! I don't go crazy with the cream cheese, though. Just a little 3-ounce package gives the frosting plenty of cream cheese flavor.

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting (this picture - a quick watercolor sketch of carrots) / www.delightfulrepast.com
Found a "practice" sheet of carrots done a year ago and thought it would be fun
 to crop it for this post.

It would have been delightful to show you a picture of a beautifully frosted layer cake here, but I frosted the two layers separately so that I could drop one off for friends who are without an oven just now.

When we're out of lockdown and attending large gatherings again, you might want to make my easily transportable, serve-it-from-the-pan, feeds-a-crowd Carrot Sheet Cake. Happy summer!

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting / www.delightfulrepast.com

Olive Oil Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Frosting


(Makes one 13x9x2-inch cake or two 8-inch round layers)

The Cake

2 dip-and-sweep cups (10 ounces/283 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (5.6 ounces/160 grams) raisins
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces/298 grams) sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml or 7.5 ounces/213 grams) extra virgin olive oil

2 firmly packed cups peeled and coarsely shredded* carrots (from 12 ounces/340 grams carrots)

* Peel and shred the carrots just before making the cake so that they do not lose moisture. Don't buy pre-shredded carrots for this; they are too dry to use in cakes.

The Frosting

1 3-ounce (85 grams) package cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 firmly packed cups (12 ounces/340 grams) unsifted powdered sugar

About 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) milk

1 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Grease and flour one 13x9x2-inch baking dish or two 8-inch round layer pans.

Note: You need 2-inch-deep 8-inch round layer pans; this is too much batter for shallower pans.

2 In 1.5-quart bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In small bowl, measure out raisins and nuts. Remove a tablespoon of the flour mixture to mix into the raisins and nuts, being sure to separate all the raisins.

3 In 4-quart mixing bowl, combine sugar and eggs. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

4 With hand mixer running on medium speed, gradually pour the olive oil in a thin stream into the egg mixture, so that it is completely incorporated. This can take up to 7 minutes; don't rush it.

5 By hand, fold in the flour mixture. Then gently stir in the carrots, raisins and nuts. Pour into prepared pan(s). Bake single cake about 45 to 55 minutes, layers about 40 minutes. Cool in pan(s) on wire rack(s) about 10 minutes; remove from pan(s) and continue cooling on rack(s). Must be completely cool before frosting.

6 In bowl of stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar (no need to sift) and mix until thoroughly combined, adding milk at the end. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

46 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

I always have a bottle or two of mild olive oil in the pantry just in case I need it. Your carrot cake with cream cheese frosting looks so tempting!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Angie. Everyone needs a good olive oil in their pantry!

Jeanie said...

Rick loves carrot cake and I do have a recipe that I love from the King Arthur Flour cookbook. But this one looks a bit lower maintenance and easier and I think I'd like the olive oil. Besides, it's good for you they say! Thanks, Jean!

Tamago said...

Extra virgin olive oil is mainly used in our home as well. I bought a carrot cake at store while back but it was too heavy. Maybe it was an oiliness or too much sugar. Your carrot cake looks so good and you always make dishes healthy :-)

Have a great day xo

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

People who understand olive oil are right up there with brain surgeons. I avoid putting it in my car engine (so far), but that’s the extent of my expertise. And I did not know that carrot cake was oily. That’s because I never eat the stuff. Sounds like a contradiction in terms to me – sort of like asparagus ice cream. But the frosting…you betcha (I’m a specialist).

Vee said...

My olive oil is shot...looks delicious and somehow most healthful.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeanie, thank you! I hope you and Rick will like it even more than the KAF one!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tamago. Yes, too heavy, too oily and too sweet are my usual complaints about carrot cakes. I hope you'll try this one and find it more to your liking.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sully, no, carrot cake is waaaaay better than asparagus ice cream! (I wish you hadn't put that picture in my head and flavor in my mouth!) The frosting *is* delicious, but I'm a frosting scraper from way back and can't change my ways now.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Vee. I hope you'll try this and let me know how you like it.

SImple and Serene Living said...

Sounds delicious. I love carrot cake, although mine have to be gluten free. xo Laura

ellen b. said...

It does look delicious.

Quinn said...

I like olive oil for brownies, too :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Laura. I make it gluten-free with the following blend--3/4 cup sorghum flour, 3/4 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum--in place of the 2 cups of all-purpose flour.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ellen, thank you.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Quinn, you're right. I think the flavor of a fruity olive oil combined with the cocoa is really tasty. Now you have me craving a brownie!

Margaret D said...

Nice recipe.
I use extra virgin olive oil for cooking and macadamia oil for sauteing.

TONY said...

I like carrot cake and this looks delicious Jean. I am sitting here typing, thinking, I would love a piece at this moment to go with the cup of coffee I have at hand right now. Anyway, two things, your water colour painting of the carrots is great. Secondly, I love the way you have played around with alliteration in your title. Alliteration always helps me slide comfortably into the meaning of the words and also, they are good laugh!!! Take care, Tony

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Margaret. Haven't tried macadamia oil. We don't have any available locally, but I'm sure I can order some online.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. I like alliteration as well, though I wasn't thinking of it with this really. Glad you liked the skinny crop of my carrot painting (carrot crop?)!

Lowcarb team member said...

This does look very nice Jean …
Many thanks for sharing your recipe here.

Have a good weekend.

All the best Jan

Phil in the Kitchen said...

There are not many things in life that are guaranteed to cheer me up but carrot cake is certainly on the cheerful list and I do like the idea of using olive oil. I must admit that I've found oil easier to get hold of than butter in recent times. The humble carrot isn't given the recognition it deserves and I'm pleased to see that you have captured some in paint.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Jean, carrot cake is my favourite cake, with cream cheese frosting, of course. I haven't made one in quite some time. {The Victorian sponge cake is next in line.} Hubby isn't a big cake lover unfortunately but he will eat it if I make one. The carrot painting is very nice and a lovely addition to today's recipe. I will have to make a carrot cake one of these days and I must try making it with olive oil when I do. Thanks for your recipe and Happy Summer!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Jan. I hope you have a great weekend, too. Stay safe and well.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Phil! Glad you noticed my skinny little carrot sketch! If you like carrot cake, you definitely need to try it with the olive oil.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sandi, thank you. Glad you liked the addition of the little painting! I do hope you'll try the cake with olive oil and let me know how you liked it. Happy Summer to you!

Victoria Zigler said...

I love carrot cake.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Victoria. So good with a cup of tea!

April J Harris said...

Your Olive Oil Carrot Cake looks delicious, Jean! It's so nice you shared the cake with friends. I often make a two layer cake as a single layer and share the other layer as there are only two of us. I really like your cream cheese frosting as well. Thank you so much for sharing and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party Community. I hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, April. You are the "hostess with the mostest" of link parties! :-) Happy Summer!

Cocoa and Lavender said...

I do find it mild olive oil is much better in baking than the flavorful kinds. Thanks for the link to your apple cake, as well. Mark has been craving an apple cake, and I like your recipe…

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

David, thank you so much. When Mark is craving an apple cake, you better make one (I believe he is not a dessert fan in general?).

Pauline Wiles said...

I really, really love carrot cake. Jean, I know you're not a super-sweet fan - do you ever just skip the frosting? I'm pretty sure I'd love this cake without it.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Pauline! Yes, I ALWAYS skip the frosting! :D I only put frosting on a cake for other people. In this case I was delivering one of the layers to friends with a sweet tooth, so had to do the frosting. We both love this cake plain.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I'll take the frosting the you would rather not eat, Jean!! Your carrot cake looks scrumptious, and perfect with the cream cheese frosting. Happy Baking!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Kitty! It seems most people love frosting, so my scrapings never go to waste! :D I'd be happy to scrape it onto your plate any time!

Miz Helen said...

Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday,489. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Miz Helen! See you soon!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Olive oil is the only oil I'm buying these days, too. Usually have a couple of different ones at all times -- a mild one and a really olivey one. Haven't had carrot cake in forever, and I'm SO craving it now. Thanks!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, John. Take care of that craving now, make this cake!

The Desperate Housewife said...

This is definitely something I have never seen before! I love olive oil an like you I use it in a lot of my cooking but I have never baked a cake with it. This is so interesting especially because I love carrot cake. I will definitely give this a try. My sister and her husband love carrot cake too so I know I have someone to share it with to stop me from eating too much myself!! Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe with us at #globalblogging!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Desperate Housewife. I hope you'll try it soon and let me know how you and your sister and BIL liked it! Happy Summer!

handmade by amalia said...

I've never tried baking with olive oil either, I'm intrigued. I'd love to give it a try, carrot cake and cream cheese frosting are a match made in heaven.
Amalia
xo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Amalia. I hope you'll try it soon. You're sure to love it with the olive oil! Let me know.

Kavey said...

Cropped treasure!!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much, Kavey!