Easy Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

This Easy Carrot Cake is made in the food processor. It’s moist, delicious and will take you 5 minutes from start to the oven!

Have you ever tried making a cake in the food processor? You’ll be shocked at how quickly you can throw a cake together and how delicious it will turn out. This Easy Carrot Cake is the perfect place to start!

There’s a funny story about me and food processors. Years ago, Scott bought my first one as a birthday present. I was so thrilled with the little machine that I stayed up most of that night. By the time Scott woke up in the morning, I had shredded, diced, sliced, chopped and pureed every fruit and veggie in the house. All the nuts in the freezer had been transformed into nut butter and every block of cheese was neatly shredded and stored in zippered bags. I just kept staring at the thing in amazement, as it performed one task after another with ease.

Can you make cake in a food processor?

Although I’ve used my food processor for all kinds of kitchen tasks, I thought it would be fun to explore some new ways of putting it to work, so I started doing a little online research. I was quite intrigued with some of the recipes I found for making cakes in a food processor. Cake, really? I had a hard time believing a cake whirled up in just a few minutes would be as good as one made with a traditional stand mixer.

So, I decided to give it a whirl since Emmy, our youngest granddaughter, had a birthday coming up. It was easy enough, and when I served the cake, I didn’t say a word about making it in the food processor… until the rave reviews started rolling in, that is. Everyone loved the cake and thought it was one of the best chocolate layer cakes, “ever”! They were amazed when I shared the super simple way it was made.

That got me on a roll, so I did some more research on food processor cakes. I came upon a somewhat strange one, simply called Consumer Reports Carrot Cake. The article explained that quite a while back when Consumer Reports did a review on food processors, they included this cake recipe in the article. I probably would have passed right by it, except for a comment written by a reader: “‘This is always the cake my six grandsons request for their birthdays”. 

Anytime I hear a proclamation like that, my curiosity is quite peaked, as I’m pretty certain it’s going to be a great recipe! So I made it. And then made it again, and again, and again. And at least two more times. I made bundt cakes, layer cakes, cupcakes and loaf cakes, all with this same recipe.

It’s so easy and, oh my goodness, so moist and delicious!

If I have all of my ingredients out and measured (mise en place), I can honestly have this Easy Carrot Cake whipped up and ready for the oven in less than five minutes. Seriously! I did have a wonderful little helper, so making this cake was not only easy but so much fun!

  Café Tips for making this Easy Carrot Cake

• This Easy Carrot Cake is wonderful on its own, or just with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, but I’m also including the recipe for a Buttermilk Glaze, which is stirred together and then reduced a bit in the microwave. After the cake has cooled slightly the glaze is brushed on, leaving a shiny, sweet layer of deliciousness as it dries.

• I love this Nordic Ware Bundt pan. I used to have trouble with my cakes sticking to the pan, but with this one, the cakes just slide out like a dream!

• That being said, I always use baking spray when making a bundt cake. Baking spray differs from cooking spray in that in addition to shortening, it also has some flour in it. This combination keeps baked goods from sticking. I spray the pan generously with baking spray then rub the spray into all the little grooves with a paper towel. Then I lightly spray the whole pan one more time with the baking spray.
• If your food processor is less than 12 cup capacity, I would make it up to step 3 (below) where the dry ingredients are added, then transfer to a bowl and stir in the flour by hand.
• This Easy Carrot Cake freezes well. Just let it cool completely, then freeze for one hour, unwrapped. Once it’s frozen fairly solid you can wrap it tightly with foil or plastic wrap without smushing the cake. Unwrap and thaw before serving.

4.84 from 31 votes

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Easy Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

This Easy Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze is believably easy (like only 5 minutes from start to oven!) and unbelievably moist and delicious!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mild-flavored vegetable oil such as sunflower oil or canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 pound carrots I like to use the baby carrots which are already peeled but any type of carrots is fine.
• ¾ cup pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• For the buttermilk glaze:
• ¼ stick butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Spray a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan* with baking spray. Alternatives - spray 3 8 or 9-inch cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. You can also make cupcakes - line 36 muffin cups with cupcake papers. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add the eggs, oil and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute until smooth.
3. Slowly add carrots and pecans through the tube. When they appear to be fully grated, remove the lid and add flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Replace lid and pulse four times, just until dry ingredients are mixed. It's okay if there is a little flour still on the surface and at the edges. Just mix a little by hand until flour disappears.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan/s and place in oven. Immediately reduce temperature to 375˚F. Check the cake after 30 minutes (cupcakes and layer cakes after 20) and continue baking until cake is firm when lightly touched in the center and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, a total of 45-50 minutes for a bundt cake, closer to 30 for layer cakes, and 20-25 minutes for cupcakes.

5. Cool in pan/s for 15 minutes then invert onto cooling rack. Brush with glaze and allow to cool completely before moving or cutting.

For the glaze:

1. Make glaze after the cake is finished baking. Place all ingredients in a large (be sure it's large as the mixture will bubble up) microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 1 minute on high then stir well. Return to microwave and cook another 3-4 minutes until glaze is beginning to thicken. Brush hot glaze on the cake with a pastry brush. Try to cover all of the surfaces of the cake. Allow cake to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

Adapted by Chris Scheuer from Consumer Reports/The Times-Picayune