Canada • Regional Dish • Dessert

Canadian Carrot Cake

A moist Canadian-style carrot cake with warm spices, pineapple, optional nuts and tangy cream cheese icing.

Servings12

Prep Time25 min

Cook Time35 min

DifficultyModerate

Print Recipe

Ingredients

US Metric

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp fine salt

1 cup neutral oil

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups finely grated carrots

1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

1/2 cup raisins, optional

For the cream cheese icing

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 pinch fine salt

For the cake

250 g all-purpose flour

10 ml baking powder

5 ml baking soda

7.5 ml ground cinnamon

2.5 ml ground ginger

1 ml ground nutmeg

2.5 ml fine salt

250 ml neutral oil

200 g brown sugar, packed

100 g granulated sugar

4 large eggs

10 ml vanilla extract

300 g finely grated carrots

240 g crushed pineapple, well drained

120 g chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

75 g raisins, optional

For the cream cheese icing

225 g cream cheese, softened

115 g unsalted butter, softened

375 g icing sugar

5 ml vanilla extract

15 ml lemon juice

1 pinch fine salt

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no flour streaks remain.
Fold in the grated carrots, drained pineapple, nuts and raisins, if using.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the cakes spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt, then beat until fluffy.
Spread icing between the cooled cake layers, over the top and around the sides. Chill for 20 minutes before slicing.

Cultural Context

Carrot cake’s origins are contested, with ties to British and European carrot puddings, spice cakes and wartime baking. In Canada, carrot cake became part of the home-baking and bakery dessert landscape through adoption, adaptation and the practical appeal of a sturdy cake that travels well.

Fun Fact

Europeans often used carrots in cake because they added sweetness and moisture before refined sugar became cheap.

Cook’s Tip

Crushed pineapple keeps the cake moist without making it taste tropical. Nuts and raisins are optional because carrot cake opinions can get intense.

Trivia

Cream cheese icing became especially popular in North American carrot cake.

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Canadian Carrot Cake

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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