Gigi's Carrot Cake

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Desserts to Die For

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (288)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(288)

Cook Time:
35 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
1 cake, 8 to 10 servings

Times:

Prep: 35 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Total:: 1 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

3 sticks, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
jessica mexico, TX 02-09-2010
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Question
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

How much is a stick of butter???? they come in so many different sizes that I have no idea! HELP!
recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
Crystal Bello Dr, CA 01-27-2010
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If you are on a diet - don't make this cake!!!!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This carrot cake is unreal and beats anything that I have had in a restaurant! I stuck to the recipe, however, I did use... low-fat cream cheese and half unsalted butter and half country crock low-fat butter (5g of fat per serving). Also, I did 2 layers instead of 3. Therefore, I increased my cooking time to 35-40 minutes for the 2 layers. They came out perfect! The flavor piece for me was the toasted pecans. They are very aromatic and their crunchy flavor adds to the sweetness of the cake. I was unsure of how to propperly toast pecans, so I googled it and did the following; brought a nonstick skillet to a hot temp under medium heat, crushed whole pecans to the size I wanted and placed them in an even layer in my pan. I tossed them for 3-5 minutes and watched them carefully because they can easily burn if left unattended. I did not add oil to the pan and did not adjust the heat. Finally, I thought this cake was good when it was first baked, but it was even better after being refrigerated overnight. The icing was unreal! I would definately make this the day before and serve it the next day! Kudos to the Chef!Read more
recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
Ranette Gainesville, FL 01-16-2010
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Cake fell apart...
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

BAKE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10-15 MINUTES!!!!! This is a great recipe but cooking time needs to be drastically increased. By... drastically, I mean an additional 10 minutes over the maximum time prescribed. I let them bake for 25 minutes, saw that they were still not set, let them bake for the maximum time prescribed, and took them out to let them cool. When I turned them out, they were still liquidy in the middle. Lucky, I managed to get them back into the pans and back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes, but the cake was still partially in pieces. Great tasting cake by far, but the underestimated baking time ruined its structure. Read more
recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
maria slidell, LA 01-13-2010
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Solution to cakes falling apart...
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

To those reviewers who had problems removing the cake from the pans. The secret is to use disposable cake pans (ie: Hefty EZ... Foil - three 8 inch pans in a pack) and butter it. I've never had problems removing the cakes and it makes for easy clean-up!! Delicious recipe! Read more
recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
sandi san antonio, TX 12-28-2009
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Falls apart!!!!!
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I am very upset! I made this for my husband today for his birthday, since Carrot Cake is his favorite, I wanted to surprise... him, but it's ruined!!! The cake may taste fine, but when it comes out of the pan in 8 pieces, the presentation is completely ruined. I am not happy with this recipe, I will never make it again, and it ruined my day.Read more
recipe Gigi's Carrot Cake
Lynn Fort Lauderdale, FL 12-22-2009
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flour the pan!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

great carrot cake! it wont fall apart if you flour the pan lightly after you butter it. i added some coconut, pineapple,... raisins, and walnuts and it came out delicious!Read more