I love sheets cakes because they’re so versatile and uncomplicated to make — there’s no messy cake layers to stack or fancy frosting techniques. This carrot sheet cake is very moist, loaded with sweet carrots and spiced with cinnamon. I like to top it all off with a vanilla cream cheese frosting. You can also add some walnuts to the batter if you like extra texture — but it’s just as delicious without the nuts.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 eight ounce package of cream cheese
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 13×9 inch sheet cake pan with non stick spray.
2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the shredded carrots, walnuts and coconut (if using.) Mix until fully incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Cool cake completely before frosting.
6. For the cream cheese frosting: using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy and nearly doubled in volume. This should take about ten minutes.
7. Add cream cheese and beat for and additional 3 minutes. Add vanilla.
8. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. If your frosting is too soft, add a little more sugar. If it is too stiff, you can thin it out by adding one or two teaspoons of milk or cream. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting onto the completely cooled carrot cake.