Carrot Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Carrot Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 20 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. finely grated orange zest plus 1/2 cup juice (from about 1 large orange); 1 c. dried apricots, roughly chopped; 1 tsp. finely grated ginger; 3 c. all-purpose flour; 2 tsp. baking soda; 2 tsp. baking powder; 2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 4 large eggs; 3/4 c. honey; 3/4 c. canola oil; 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce; 12 oz. (about 4 large) carrots, peeled, trimmed, and grated (about 2 cups); 1 c. pecans, chopped; 1 1/2 lb. cream cheese, at room temp; 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp honey, plus more for drizzling; 1 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

This classic carrot cake with a creamy coat of frosting is what everyone's been craving.

By The Good Housekeeping Test KitchenPublished: Feb 21, 2020

Jump to recipe

Mike Garten

Yields:

20 serving(s)

Total Time:

1 hr 20 mins

We like jelly beans and chocolate rabbits as much as anyone, but if there's one dessert that screams spring, it's carrot sheet cake. Festive and frosted tangy cream cheese icing — what's not to love? We know it's tough to compete with the elaborate layer cakes your Grandma might have made every year for Easter dessert, but we decided to try a more minimalist approach with a pared down carrot cake recipe that celebrates the natural sweetness of the carrots. Bonus: it's surprisingly simple to make and will certainly feed a crowd.

What goes into the best-ever carrot cake?

Our cinnamon-flecked cake is loaded with apricots, pecans, and fresh ginger to add a crunchy, chewy contrast to the tender cake, and we use honey and fresh orange juice as sweeteners instead of refined sugar — no candied pineapple to see here. Our carrot sheet cake with applesauce and oil is super tender, while the this cake is just as rich and satisfying as any bakery behemoth. After all, carrot cake isn’t carrot cake without a generous slathering of cream cheese frosting (ours has orange zest for a hint of brightness), and we don’t skimp on the good stuff.

Can I make carrot cake ahead?

This carrot cake for a crowd is a great make-ahead dessert, as it can be baked in advance and frosted later. We like to drizzle ours with honey just before serving, and feel free to sprinkle some crushed pecans for a little extra crunch. And while the cake “technically” feeds 20, you can totally serve it to a smaller group — trust us, you’ll want to snack on the leftovers long after the Easter ham is gone.

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Ingredients

1 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest plus 1/2 cup juice (from about 1 large orange)
1 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 tsp. finely grated ginger
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
12 oz. (about 4 large) carrots, peeled, trimmed, and grated (about 2 cups)
1 cup pecans, chopped

For Frosting

1 1/2 lb. cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp honey, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

Directions

1. Step 1Heat oven to 325°F. Line bottom of 18- by 13-in. rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spray sides of pan with nonstick spray.
2. Step 2In small saucepan, bring orange zest and juice, apricots, and ginger to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Step 3In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, oil, and applesauce. Fold in flour mixture, leaving some streaks of flour. Add apricot mixture, carrots, and pecans and fold until just combined.
4. Step 4Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 min. Let cool.
5. Step 5Meanwhile, make frosting: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, honey, and orange zest until smooth. Spread on cake and drizzle with additional honey if desired.