My wife is a huge fan of carrot cake, and cannot find a recipe via google searches that I am happy with. Does anyone have a tried and true recipe that you would be willing to share?

Thank you.

I used to love the one in James Beard's American Cookery . As I'm still unsure about copyright issues I'm hesitant to post it here.

If I send you a PM with my email address, would you mind forwarding it to me that way?

This is a carrot cake recipe I got from a friend who used to bake for a restaurant in Iowa City, Iowa. It's basically the restaurant's recipe, modified for the amount one might want to make at home and for some of my preferences (e.g., I like cardamom!). It's a fairly dense cake with pecans, coconut and pineapple, as well as loads of carrot. That's a style I like a lot--if it's not your wife's style it may not be her thing.

Carrot cake

Grease 3 qt (about 9”x13”) pan, preheat oven to 350.

1 1/4 cup white flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 1/2 t cinnamon (I usually add more, maybe 2 1/2 t cinnamon)
1 t ground cardamom

3 eggs well beaten
1 cup sugar
10 T vegetable oil (just shy of 2/3 cup)
2 t vanilla extract
1 cup drained crushed pineapple (1 small can)
2 1/2 c grated carrots (approximately 1 lb)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 c shredded coconut

Sift together all dry ingredients, save for the whole wheat flour. Then mix in whole wheat flour. In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix until just blended. Pour into pan and bake for 30-35. When cake has completely cooled, frost with following frosting.

Cream cheese frosting

1/2 lb. cream cheese
1 1/2 sticks butter (not margarine)
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 t lemon juice (I like it more lemony and usually add 3 t)
1/2 lb. Powdered sugar

Blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla and lemon juice until well mixed. Add in powdered sugar, frost!

I made the carrot cake from 'Caprial's Desserts' on Sunday and it was great. In fact, two days later, it was dynamite. Very moist and super carroty. I don't have the recipe with me, but if you'd like it, PM me and I'll send you the recipe.

So, Demetrius, did you ever make a carrot cake?

I used your carrot cake recipe this past weekend, and proud to report that it was a huge hit. Thank you so very much!

My daugther is being baptised in two weeks down in Virginia Beach, and am thinking about making it for the reception afterwards. If I do, I will be sure to take a picture before people start eating it.

Do you have any suggestions for my next baking adventure?

See post #4 in the cupcake thread. If I have a bit of time later today I will start a new thread on cake and post a few favorite recipes.