Carrot Cake Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Carrot Cake Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting has always been Mom's go-to carrot cake recipe, and it's my go-to now, too. But there's a "secret" ingredient that gives this version of carrot cake fabulous flavor and wonderful moistness, all without shredding a single carrot.

My Mom has been making this carrot cake recipe forever. Thinking back to my childhood, there's not a time I remember when this wasn't Mom's carrot cake go-to.

It's so flavorful, tender, and moist ... loaded with fabulous carrot flavor, spiced just right with a touch of ground cinnamon. It's one of my all-time favorites from Mom's baking line-up, and has become my go-to carrot cake recipe now, too.

And it seems whenever I take this cake anywhere or share a few pieces with some friends, it's not unusual to hear, "This is the best carrot cake I've ever had!"

There's a "secret" ingredient that gives this carrot cake fabulous flavor and wonderful moistness, all without shredding a single carrot.

But Mom's Carrot Cake Sheet Cake recipe has a secret. Do you want to know what the secret is?

Mom's Carrot Cake Sheet Cake recipe doesn't actually have any shredded carrots in it. There's a "secret" ingredient that gives this carrot cake fabulous flavor and wonderful moistness, all without shredding a single carrot.

What???

How do you make carrot cake without shredding carrots, you ask?

It's simple - baby food.

Wait ... You can make carrot cake with baby food carrots??

Absolutely.

And the result is fabulous.

Baby food carrots bring great carrot flavor to the cake. Since they're liquid-y, they disperse throughout the entire batter, every last bit of it. And they help bring a great tenderness and moistness to the baked cake, too.

Instead of shredding or grating carrots for the carrot cake batter, mix it up with the baby food carrots added in instead.

The cake bakes up nice and tender and delicious.

And then what goes better on carrot cake than cream cheese frosting, right?

Once the cake is baked and cooled whip up a batch of homemade cream cheese frosting, which is really easy to make with a few simple ingredients. Just whip up some cream cheese, softened butter, confectioners' sugar, a little vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt.

If you'd like tips for making it the best batch ever, check out my post How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting. Truthfully, I've never met a cream cheese frosting I haven't liked ... but there are some tricks that can make a great thing even that much better!

Slather the cooled cake generously with the cream cheese frosting ...

And then sprinkle the top with chopped pecans or chopped walnuts for garnish and a little crunch ...

Chill in the refrigerator for a little bit before cutting to allow the frosting to set a bit. And then get ready to dig into one of the best carrot cakes around.

Because Mom's Carrot Cake Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is fantastic - complete with its "secret" ingredient that gives it fabulous flavor and wonderful moistness, all without shredding a single carrot.

You'll be very pleasantly surprised just how great baby food carrot cake can be!

If you'd rather, this carrot cake can be made as a layer cake, as well. Just divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans and reduce the baking time a bit. Then slather cream cheese frosting between the layers, on top, and all over the side of the layered cake.

But whether it's in sheet cake or layer cake form, this carrot cake recipe will not disappoint. You'll be very pleasantly surprised just how great baby food carrot cake can be!

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Desserts

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Tracey |