This is my favorite carrot cake recipe. It's decadent, moist, light, and airy, yet loaded with shredded carrots, fruits, and nuts. Today, I filled this layer cake with delicious apricot filling and frosted it with my Swiss meringue buttercream.
Table of Content
This has been a busy cake week. I had one wedding cake and two, anniversary cakes on order. And, I also made a cake for Ziv's niece who celebrated her 10th birthday. So, we made her this carrot cake filled with her favorite Apricot filling and then piped ruffles with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. Who says you can't have a carrot birthday cake, right?
About this carrot cake
This is my favorite carrot cake, which was featured in American Cake Decorating magazine. It's rich, moist, light, and airy, but best of all, it's got the perfect ratio of carrots, fruits, and nuts.
Previously, I shared everyone's favorite carrot cake with my no-butter cream cheese frosting. This one is filled with apricot filling and decorated with ruffles made of Swiss meringue buttercream.
The recipe is pretty simple, easy, and quick. Oil contributes to a light and airy cake in this recipe, and the raisins and nuts work perfectly to complement the carrots.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose Flour - Most carrot cakes use cake flour, but I have tried and tested my recipes many times and they also work great with all purpose flour.
- Carrots - I usually use the thick side of a grater, but if you like, use the thinner side of the grater and you won't even realize this cake has carrots.
- Sugars - I've used both sugars in this. I love the soft crumb that brown sugar gives this cake, as well as the hint of molasses in terms of flavor. If you like, you can use all white sugar and it will taste just as delicious.
- Walnut and Raisins - Classic combination, but you can use pecans, cranberries, almonds, or any nuts you like.
- Oil - It's best to use non-flavored canola oil so the oil won't overpower the rest of the ingredients.
Step by step instructions
Prepare cake
- Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt - and set aside.
- Grate carrots, add the orange zest - and set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whip eggs for a minute, then gradually add the sugar a little at a time.
- Continue to whip until light and foamy (ribbon stage).
- Next, while still whipping gradually add in the sour cream and oil.
- Now, add the carrot, walnuts, and raisins to the flour mixture (do this now not too early).
- Then, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
- Finally, add the vanilla.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting.
Prepare Swiss meringue buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
- Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
- Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch.
- Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer medium speed.
- Once all the butter is in, whip it on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Lastly, add the vanilla and combine well.
Prepare apricot filling
- Soak apricot in hot water for 30 minutes - drain well.
- Pulse it through a blender or food processor until smooth.
- If necessary, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
- Combine 2 cups of Swiss meringue buttercream with the apricot puree.
Assemble
- Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers.
- Split each cake layer into two horizontally so you have four layers.
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop the apricot filling spread evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top followed by more apricot filling.
- Continue until you have used all four layers.
- Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
- Spread the vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream around and top of the cake.
- Take 1 cup of the Swiss meringue buttercream and add some pink food color gel.
- Transfer both pink and white frostings to a piping bag with a 104 rose petal tip.
- Pipe ruffles with a zig-zag motion all around the cake.
- Alternatively, just frost the cake with the buttercream and smooth it with a spatula.
Storage
- The cake will stay fresh for up to three days at cool room temperature, or for a week, if kept in the fridge.
- It can also be frozen for a month or more.
6 tips - carrot cake recipe
- How you grate the carrots will determine the texture of the cake. Thickly grated carrots will give a lighter desired texture while finely grated carrots will give a denser texture.
- Use fresh tender carrots as they are sweeter. Do not use baby carrots as they tend to have too much moisture in them. Too much moisture can make the cake collapse.
- Use flavorless cooking oil, such as canola and grapeseed. Oils like olive or avocado, while healthy, are very strong in flavor and give this cake a very savory taste.
- Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy then start adding the oil gradually similar to making mayonnaise. This is what helps give a light and airy cake.
- Bake the cake until just done, and a skewer inserted into the center comes clean. Overbaking the cake will give a dark hard crust.
- If possible, use more baking pans rather than cutting the cake into layers. It's easier and less messy. Alternatively, wrap and chill the cake for an hour before you layer them. This will give fewer crumbs and make frosting the cake easier.
More cakes you may like
- Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe
- Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cadbury Creme Eggs
- Earl Grey Cakes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this carrot cake keep?
This carrot cake with keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week and freeze it for up to a month.
Can I add cake flour to this carrot cake recipe?
While cake flour is always recommended for cakes, it's not the best for all cakes. Personally, I think the all-purpose flour does a better job of soaking up all that excess moisture from the carrots and adds structure to the cake so it does not fall apart easily.
Why is there no milk or buttermilk in this recipe?
We have sour cream which adds richness. Also, carrots have a lot of moisture in them so that is used as the liquid in the recipe.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
This cake works better with oil, keeping it moist and tender despite all the carrots, fruit, and nuts. Butter will make the cake heavier.
Can I add other fruits to this carrot cake recipe?
Yes, you can certainly add chopped apricots, dates, cranberries, and nuts like pecans, macadamia or hazelnuts. Whatever fruits and nuts you use, make sure to keep the quantity mentioned in the recipe.
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Printable Recipe
Carrot Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 782kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 12 Servings
Description
This is my favorite carrot cake recipe. It's decadent, moist, light, and airy, yet loaded with shredded carrots, fruits, and nuts. Today, I filled this layer cake with delicious apricot filling and frosted it with my Swiss meringue buttercream.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 ml) Oil (flavorless like canola or grapeseed)
- 4 Eggs (large)
- 1 ¾ cup (385 g) Light Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 cup (240 ml) Sour cream
- 2 cup Carrots (shredded)
- 1 cup (100 g) Walnuts (finely chopped)
- 1 cup (150 g) Raisins (finely chopped)
- 3 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg (freshly grated)
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon (ground)
For the filling
- 6 oz (170 g) Apricot (dried soaked in hot water)
For the Swiss meringue buttercream
- 6 (180 g) Egg whites ((6 oz) )
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) White sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Cream of tartar ((optional))
- 1 lb (450 g) Butter ((2 sticks) unsalted, room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Prepare cake
- Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans or use four 8-inch cake pans.
- Swift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt - and set aside.
- Grate carrots, add the orange zest - set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, whip eggs for a minute then gradually add the sugar a little at a time.
- Continue to whip until light and foamy (ribbon stage).
- Next, while still whipping gradually add in the sour cream and oil.
- Now, add the carrot, walnuts, and raisins to the flour mixture (do this now not too early).
- Then, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
- Finally, add the vanilla.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting.
Prepare the Swiss meringue buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
- Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
- Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch.
- Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer medium speed.
- Once all the butter is in, whip it on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Lastly, add the vanilla and combine well. Set aside
Prepare the apricot filling
- Soak apricot in hot water for 30 minutes - drain well.
- Pulse it through a blender or food processor until smooth.
- If necessary, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
- Combine 2 cups of Swiss meringue buttercream with the apricot puree. Set aside
Assemble
- Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers.
- Split each cake layer into two horizontally so you have four layers.
- Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop the apricot filling spread evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top followed by more apricot filling....
- Continue until you have used all four layers.
- Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
- Spread the vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream around and top of the cake.
- Take 1 cup of the Swiss meringue buttercream and add some pink food color gel.
- Transfer both pink and white frostings to a piping bag with a 104 rose petal tip.
- Pipe ruffles with a zig-zag motion all around the cake.
- Alternatively, just frost the cake with the buttercream and smooth it with a spatula.
Recipe Notes & Tips
6 Tips for making the perfect carrot cake
- How you grate the carrots will determine the texture of the cake. Thickly grated carrots will give a lighter desired texture while finely grated carrots will give a denser texture.
- Use fresh tender carrots as they are sweeter. Do not use baby carrots as they tend to have too much moisture in them. Too much moisture can make the cake collapse.
- Use flavorless cooking oil, such as canola and grapeseed. Oils like olive or avocado while healthy are very strong in flavor and give this cake a very savory taste.
- Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy then start adding the oil gradually similar to making mayonnaise. This is what helps give a light and airy cake.
- Bake the cake until just done, and a skewer inserted into the center comes clean. Overbaking the cake will give a dark hard crust.
- If possible use more baking pans rather than cutting the cake for layers. It's easier and less messy. Alternatively, wrap and chill the cake for an hour before you layer them. This will give fewer crumbs and make frosting the cake easier.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 782- kcalCarbohydrates: 113- gProtein: 3- gFat: 35- gSaturated Fat: 13- gCholesterol: 32- mgSodium: 341- mgPotassium: 255- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 93- gVitamin A: 1845- IUVitamin C: 5.9- mgCalcium: 59- mgIron: 1.6- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Mrs Nicola Mcgregor
Hi, I am making a wedding cake for my daughter and last week used your lovely recipe with the swiss meringue and apricot filling to do a practice cake for their top tier. I am covering the cake with a rolled fondant to match the other tiers. The cake was absolutely beautiful and we loved the filling and the less sweet swiss meringue buttercream.
However I need some some advice! It's the first time I have made swiss meringue buttercream and I didn't really know what to expect. I tried to replicate the process I will have to do when making the wedding cake so I made the cakes, froze them before covering and filling with frosting and then kept them in the fridge before covering with fondant the next day (For the wedding I will have to freeze them with frosting, transport them, trying to keep them as frozen as possible and then cover with fondant before finally transporting again to the wedding venue).
I managed to get a beautiful finish on the swiss meringue and fondant with lovely straight sides and top as the buttercream was quite firm from the fridge. Once covered with fondant I left it out of the fridge.
I then had to transport the trial cake and was saddened as the fondant had sagged and bubbled slightly on the sides. On cutting the cake I realised why. The swiss meringue buttercream was incredibly soft and I am now concerned as to whether I can make this work for her wedding cake. Everything I have read recommends swiss meringue buttercream under rolled fondant but is there a way to firm it up or prevent this slippage of the fondant? I am nervous about putting the cake back in the fridge once it has the fondant on as afraid it will spoil. Many thanks Nicola
Veena Azmanov
Nicola. Swiss meringue is made with whipped eggs. While it does freeze beautifully on its own not so well on the cake because it does loos volume during the process of defrosting.
So the buttercream becomes soft and if you have fondant of course the fondant then looks loose.
Also, if you drape fondant on a frozen cake the ice crystals formed on the cake during the process of freezing causes small spots or even little holds where the ice crystals melt into the fondant.