Soul food carrot cake is a Southern dessert specialty cherished by many African American families as a sweet Easter holiday tradition. Soul food versions tend to include more spices while still featuring the classic homemade cream cheese frosting.
KitchenAid stand mixer slicer/shredder attachment (optional)
Flour sifter
9-10″ Bundt cake pan
Baker’s cooling rack
Ingredients
Ingredients for Black folks soul food carrot cake
1tablespoonvanilla extract
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
1 ½cupssugargranulated
½teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsground nutmeg
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1cupvegetable oil
3eggs yolks
3egg whites
2 ½teaspoonswaterhot
1cupcarrotsgrated
1cupblack walnutsfinely chopped
½cupblack walnutsfinely chopped to garnish
Ingredients for Black folks soul food carrot cake cream cheese frosting
8ouncescream cheesesoftened or whipped cream cheese
¼cupbuttersoftened
2 ½cupspowdered sugar
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Instructions for the carrot cake
Grease and flour a 9-10″ Bundt cake pan and set it aside.
Mix the vanilla extract, sugar, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and hot water in a medium-sized bowl.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon into a separate mixing bowl.
Gradually pour the sifted dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredient mixture and electric mix to combine.
Add the grated carrots and stir in by hand.
Then add the chopped walnuts and also stir in by hand. The mixture will then become slightly stiff.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. (When you lift up your beater, you want a nice peak that holds its shape and stands straight up.)
Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until the whites disappear. The mixture will then significantly loosen.
Pour the batter into the greased and floured cake pan.
Keep an eye on the carrot cake while it’s in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the carrot cake from the oven and set the cake pan on a baking rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
Then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and onto a baker’s cooling rack.
Allow the carrot cake to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before optional frosting.
This Southern soul food homemade carrot cake recipe is usually served with cream cheese frosting garnished with finely chopped walnuts. (Frosting instructions below.)
Instructions for the cream cheese frosting
Add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes or until stiff.
Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
Once the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 minutes.
Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled carrot cake.
Optionally, garnish with chopped walnuts, crushed walnuts, or carrot cake crumbs, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pro tips:
This recipe has my great-grandma's secret carrot cake ingredient, the addition of beaten stiff egg whites to moisten the cake batter.
Refrigerating a cake with cream cheese frosting for a few hours will give it a firm texture, making slicing easy upon serving.
Freeze carrot cake by the slice and wrap individual pieces in parchment paper or plastic wrap. And then in foil before freezing for manageable portions that you can thaw and enjoy quickly!