Every year around late July my family returns to an old house in Maine that my grandparents bought in the ‘80s.
We always stay through my dad’s birthday, and here the summer kitchen is dominated by my grandmother. She’s a character right down to the name she goes by to every friend, acquaintance, and enemy: Tunky. Tunky always makes the same carrot cake for the birthday dinner, and this is the one dessert I find myself coming back to for seconds. I’m not desserts’ biggest fan, let alone a carrot cake aficionado, but Tunky’s recipe has a hold over all of us. It’s extremely moist, gets a boost from a dash of maple flavoring in the icing, and refuses to give into the peer pressure to include raisins (what a win). This cake is truly perfect and reminds me of moments in summer kitchens, birthdays, and Tunky.
Tunky generously shared her “secret” recipe in a Deer Isle community cookbook circa 2008
Recipe (just in case Tunky wasn’t clear)
Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (toasted is a plus!)
4 cups grated carrots (~8-10 large carrots)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
Icing
1/2 - 1 box powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
Note: If you don’t have maple flavoring like Tunky (fair!), use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.
Add walnuts or pecans to the mixture (bonus points if you roast them ahead of time for ~10 minutes at 350).
Add carrots, eggs, and oil to the bowl and stir until the mixture is completely combined.
Pour the batter into 2 buttered cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. To test, insert a knife into the center of the cake. If clean, the cake is cooked through and Tunky would be proud!
While the cakes are baking, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar using a hand mixer. After beating for a few minutes, add maple flavoring until combined.
Remove and cool the cakes. Add frosting between the layers and over the top.
Add the remaining nuts to the top of the cake.
Absolutely the best Carrot Cake! G
You libtards will be taught a lesson in November you won't soon...oh, sorry, wrong comment section. Yes, this carrot cake is the best I've ever had. Can anyone point me to the LETSGOBRANDONMAGAFOREVER substack?