Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This version of a Canadian favourite uses more carrots, adds ginger and pairs well with a maple frosting making it almost an entirely different dessert. This sweet and spicy cake is uncomplicated where all you'll need is 2 bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula. No mixer required, but a little arm muscle to really get those wet and dry ingredients combined. Easy, yes, but that doesn't mean the carrot cake is plain. It's bursting with spice flavour and completed with a dense and tangy blanket of cream cheese frosting on top. Baking this carrot cake as a sheet cake in a 9x13" pan makes it even more effortless. Just one layer of cake and one layer of frosting. Easy to frost, easier to cut, easiest to eat.

Carrot Cake:
2½ cups all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled (312 g)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (240 mL)
1¼ cup Erythritol Gold, packed (250 g)
⅓ cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular) (67 g)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large carrots, grated (~ 2 cups)
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup walnuts, chopped, optional
½ cup raisins, optional

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8 oz) full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature (226 g)
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature (113 g)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered) + an extra ¼ cup if needed (230 g)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cnnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) Grease a 9x13" glass pan.

Make the Carrot Cake:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and other spices together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and pure vanilla extract together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in the grated carrots, pineapple, walnuts and raisins, if using.

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.

Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.

Make the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat all the ingredients on medium speed until fluffy. Chill the frosting for about 20-30 minutes or until it has set up enough to spread smoothly and hold its shape. Makes about 2 cups, sufficient for any of the combinations of this cake recipe.

Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Makes 24 cupcakes, one 9" two-layer cake, one 8" three-layer cake or one 9x13" sheet cake.

Cook's Notes:

• Instead of 1 cup of oil, try ½ cup (90 g) unsweetened applesauce and ½ (120 mL) cup oil. The cake is just as moist.
• Don't use pre-shredded carrots found in the produce aisle. They're typically on the dry side. Rather, freshly grate 3 large carrots to yield approximately 2 moist cups of carrot shreds.
• I use canned crushed pineapple. You can also crush fresh pineapple to use in the cake batter. Crushed pineapple, as opposed to pineapple chunks, acts like a wet ingredient keeping this cake extra moist and tender. Keeping that in mind and if you want larger chunks of pineapple in your cake, you can use chunks instead.
• Make Ahead: Prepare cake without frosting. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.

Cooking Time Variations:

• Cupcakes: Divide batter among cupcake molds, filling ¾ of each. Bake cupcakes 14-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing them.
• Layered Cakes: Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake the layers for about 30 minutes each for 8" cakes or about 40 minutes each for 9" cakes; or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for about 15 minutes. Turn out onto cooling racks. Peel off parchment; cool cakes completely before icing.