Beverly’s Carrot Cake
This One Takes the Cake!
My absolute, favorite cake ever! Beverly’s Carrot Cake combines the warm spiciness of ginger with pineapple, coconut, chopped pecans — and nary a raisin in sight! Topped with creamy Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting, I’ll bet it’ll become a favorite at your house, too.
In the beginning…
I don’t remember my mother or grandma ever making carrot cake when I was a child. Then again, maybe they did and it’s been mercifully blotted out of my memory because it broke my cardinal carrot cake rule: Thou shalt not put any raisins into thy carrot cake. (I actually like raisins — just not adulterating my carrot cake).
When I was about ten years old, I was pouring over a new “Ruralite” cookbook, and a recipe for carrot cake (sans raisins) with cream cheese frosting caught my attention. I’d always loved spice cake, pineapple, and coconut — and I wasn’t sure what cream cheese frosting was, but I liked the sound of it.
A star is born…
I tinkered with the recipe a bit, adding more spices — especially ginger, a particular favorite of mine — and this and that, until I achieved, at least to my palate, cake perfection. From then on, I became the official carrot-cake-cooker of the family — and it continues to be one of my most requested recipes right down to this day!
So, the next time you need a cake for a special occasion, or a dessert for a bring-a-dish, or just a whole lotta comfort, bake up Beverly’s Carrot Cake — I promise, you won’t regret it!
Beverly’s Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp Penzey's Cake Spice or a pinch each of nutmeg & allspice (optional)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups salad oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups carrot finely grated
- 1 (small) can crushed pineapple with juice
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to mixing bowl, then blend thoroughly, on medium speed, about 2 minutes.
- Spray half-sheet roaster pan (approx. 11"x15") with Pam for Baking (or prepare with shortening and flour). OR, prepare (3) 9" layer pans — reduce cooking time accordingly.
- Baking at 350F for 35 minutes, or until knife in center comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting with Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting.
3 thoughts on “Beverly’s Carrot Cake”
I have to say Aunt Bev’s Carrot Cake is certainly the best 😘
Awww, thanks, sweetie! 🙂