by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
from The Silver Palate Cookbook: 25th Anniversary Edition
(Workman, 2007)
Makes 10 to 12 portions
In the beginning, Sheila’s mother drove her famous carrot cakes down to Manhattan daily from her Connecticut kitchen. The cake became a Silver Palate classic; it may now become yours as well.—Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
convert Ingredients
For the cake
Butter, for greasing the pan
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups corn oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/3 cups puréed cooked carrots
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
Cream cheese frosting
For the cream cheese frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
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Directions
Make the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch springform pans.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in the walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until the edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes.
4. Cool on a cake rack for 3 hours. Fill and frost the cake with the Cream Cheese Frosting.
Make the frosting
1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
2. Slowly sift in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps.
3. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.
Recipe © 2007 by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. All rights reserved.
[Emily Fleak] This was beyond the best carrot cake I have ever had. I have never put puréed carrots into a cake, but it was great. Very moist, not too sugary, light, and airy. This is my new go-to dessert.
How do you turn this into a gluten-free cake?
Sharon, it’s more than substituting ingredients for the flour. There’s a delicate balance that has to be struck to make up for what gluten-free ingredients can’t do that flour can. I think finding a good g-f carrot cake would be the best way to go, or check out our gluten-free banana bread, which is very popular.