Those carrot cake lovers that are searching for a fresh twist to this delicious classic need to taste the version that I have for you. Unlike the heavier, dense cake that you may expect, my orange carrot cake recipe adds a happy splash of citrus from an orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses along with oatmeal added to the flour that give this lighter, moist sheet cake a subtle brightness for a wonderful contrast to typical carrot cake sweetness.
Something else that I am excited to tell you is you won’t even need to pull out your electric mixer to make my cake. However, you still will need to grate the carrots and an orange. Afterwards, you practically have nothing left to do but assemble the ingredients and stir together.
This cake also can save you time. My recipe uses canola oil instead of creaming butter, shortening or margarine with the sugar that help speed up the steps.
My cake can be topped with my creamy frosting, a dollop of whipped topping like Cool-Whip, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or orange sherbet as well as serving it plain. I tried this outstanding recipe all those different ways and all are extraordinary as far as flavor is concerned to lavish your taste buds.
The next time that you’re in the mood to grate a few carrots, I hope that you’ll remember to print out my recipe and give it a try. A few other carrot cakes that you might also like are my Tropical Carrot Cake and Food Processor Carrot Cake. A carrot snack cake that we are fond of that also has some orange juice in it but different from this one with walnuts, raisins, and brown sugar is my Quick Carrot Snack Cake that you may to make sometime too.
My orange carrot cake is a moist and lighter than typical carrot cake with touch of orange brightness, oatmeal, molasses for a subtle contrast that gives this cake a nice balance.
- 2 cups of flour
- ½ cups of oatmeal quick or old-fashioned
- 1/4 cup of molasses light or dark
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda leveled
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder leveled
- 1-1/2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of canola or corn oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- rind and juice from 1 orange or 1 teaspoon of orange extract and 1/4 cup of orange juice
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2/3 cup of milk
- 2 cups of grated carrot
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Sift together the flour, leveled baking powder, leveled baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and oatmeal in your mixing bowl.
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In another mixing bowl, stir in the eggs, oil, molasses, milk, orange juice, rind, and grated carrot before slowly combining the dry ingredients until well mixed.
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Pour into a greased sheet cake pan 13″ x 9″ x 2″.
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Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 35 minutes, depending on how your oven is regulated. Test with a cake tester, toothpick or slender knife to see if anything sticks.
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Allow to cool before frosting.
Creamy Frosting: 3 cups of confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup of butter 1 teaspoon of orange extract, orange juice or lemon juice 1 teaspoon of vanilla 1/4 cup of milk
You will need an electric mixer for this part to thoroughly cream all the ingredients together until creamy and a fluffy consistency.
ENJOY!
I’ve never thought to add orange to carrot cake. That sounds delicious. My husband would love some chopped walnuts in it too.