Easy Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

4.89 from 35 votes

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

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy carrot cake

Servings:

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Chris Scheuer

For the cake:
4 eggs
1 cup mild-flavored vegetable oil such as sunflower oil or canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and roughly chopped if large 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:
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan* with baking spray.
Add the eggs, oil and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute until smooth.
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, cloves and giner. 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.
Pour batter into the prepared pan/s and place in oven. Immediately reduce temperature to 375˚F. Bake 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.
Cool in pan for 15 minutes then invert onto cooling rack. Brush with glaze and allow to cool completely before moving or cutting.

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 2-4 minutes until glaze is beginning to thicken. Check frequently after two minutes as each microwave is different. Brush hot glaze on the cake with a pastry brush. Try to cover all of the surfaces of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely.

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