Best Million Dollar Carrot Cake Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots., Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting. , Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe twelve carrots on top of cake, so each slice will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot. , Store cake in the refrigerator.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans* by lightly coating with cooking spray and lining with parchment paper on the bottom.
• Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and pineapple together in a large bowl.
• In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
• Fold in the carrots, pecans and raisins just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

MILLION DOLLAR CAKE

Steps:

• Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.
• In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.
• Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

VERTICAL CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans with parchment; grease paper. Set aside. Sift flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves together twice. Place pecans in a food processor; pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl; toss with carrots, fresh ginger and zest., In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Fold in flour mixture, then carrot mixture., Place egg whites in another large bowl. With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Transfer to prepared pans, spreading evenly., Bake until golden brown and top springs back when lightly touched, 18-22 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto tea towels dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off paper; trim ends. Roll up cakes in towels jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack., For the frosting, place 1 cup butter in a small heavy saucepan; melt over medium heat. Heat until golden brown, 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool until thick and creamy, but not hard, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl of stand mixer, whisk egg whites, 1 cup sugar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until cooled to 90°, about 7 minutes. Using the paddle attachment, gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and cooled browned butter until smooth; transfer to another bowl. Add cream cheese to mixer bowl, beat until smooth. Gradually add buttercream back to bowl; beat until combined., Unroll cakes; cut each into two 15x5-in. strips. Spread 1 cup frosting on each strip to within 1/2-in. of edges. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, at least 20 minutes., To assemble cake, tightly roll up 1 strip jelly-roll style, starting with a short side, lifting slightly as you roll. Carefully align seam of roll with short side of another strip. Continue to roll, jelly-roll style, adding remaining strips; seal seam. Carefully stand rolled cake on its end on a serving platter. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.

MILLION DOLLAR CAKE

Steps:

• Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers.
• Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.
• In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar.
• Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake.
• Mix in the dry pudding mix.
• Fold in the whipped topping.
• Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting.
• Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting.
• Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake.
• Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices.
• Refrigerate overnight before serving.