Vegetarian Recipes

Carrot Cake

My soft and fluffy Carrot Cake, made with homemade cream cheese frosting, always steals the show! I’m a big fan of this recipe, and I love how you can mix it up to make it your own. I made this a sheet pan cake to keep this recipe easy and approachable. I also kept things fairly simple, with raisins mixed in the batter and a few chopped pecans on top. It’s delicious and absolutely perfect for special occasions or any time you’re craving a simple carrot cake. Like maybe this weekend? 😉

Easy Carrot Cake Recipe

This recipe is just like my carrot muffins recipe, except I scaled it up to bake in a 9×13” baking dish and smothered it in the BEST carrot cake frosting made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of vanilla. I always use freshly grated carrots for the best texture and flavor, and I promise it’s worth the extra few minutes. Everything else is just super simple staples you probably already have on hand! This cake is my only choice for a last-minute dessert for Easter, birthdays, or, honestly, anytime I want a lightly spiced, moist carrot cake (which is often!!).

Carrot Cake Recipe

This Carrot Cake recipe is soft, moist, and topped with the best cream cheese frosting EVER. Made with simple pantry staples and freshly grated carrots!

Course Dessert

Cuisine European, General

Total Cost $13.92 recipe / $0.93 serving

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 533kcal

Author Marsha McDougal

Equipment

9×13 Baking Dish
Handheld Mixer

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups finely grated carrots (4-5 large carrots) $1.00
2 cups all-purpose flour $0.36
1 ½ tsp baking powder $0.06
½ tsp baking soda $0.01
½ tsp salt $0.02
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon $0.15
¼ tsp ground nutmeg $0.04
½ tsp ground ginger $0.05
4 large eggs, lightly beaten $1.48
1 cup dark brown sugar $0.48
1 cup granulated sugar $0.96
⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce* $0.40
¾ cup cooking oil* $0.48
2 tsp vanilla extract $1.30
¾ cups golden raisins, optional** $1.49

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened $2.00
6 Tbsp salted butter, softened $0.74
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.65
3 cups powdered sugar $1.50
½ cup chopped pecans, to garnish $0.75

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, peel, and grate the carrots using the small/fine holes on a box grater. Set the grated carrots to the side.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger) until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla extract) until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the same bowl as the dry ingredients. Stir together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Add the grated carrots and raisins to the bowl and fold them into the batter until just combined.
Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×13” baking dish*** and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature before frosting.
To make the frosting, combine the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl and mix using a handheld mixer until smooth. Then, continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Blend together until creamy and smooth.
Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese icing on top, then sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. Slice into 15 slices or your desired amount of servings, and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*The combination of both oil and applesauce keeps the cake moist. You also gain more flavor and moisture by incorporating the applesauce.

**I love adding golden raisins to my batter for a little added sweetness and texture. Feel free to leave them out.

***I chose to line my baking dish with parchment paper just to make it easier to remove the cake completely after it was done. But this step is also optional.

Nutrition

how to make Carrot Cake step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make a from scratch carrot cake.

Gather all of your ingredients.

Grate the carrots: Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you haven’t already, wash, peel, and grate 4-5 large carrots using a box grater. I use the small/fine holes on my box grater. You need 3 cups of finely grated carrots for this recipe. Set the grated carrots to one side.

The dry ingredients to make carrot cake in a bowl.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: Add 2 cups flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ½ tsp ground ginger to a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.

The wet ingredients for carrot cake in a bowl.

Whisk together the wet ingredients: Add 4 large eggs, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅔ cup apple sauce, ¾ cup cooking oil, and 2 tsp vanilla extract to a separate mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.

Homemade carrot cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be very careful not to overmix at this point.

Shredded carrots and golden raisins added to cake batter in a mixing bowl.

To the cake batter, add the grated carrots and ¾ cup golden raisins (if using) and fold them in carefully until just combined.

Bake: Either grease a 9×13” baking dish with butter or line it with parchment paper, as I did here. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (with no wet batter).

A freshly baked carrot cake in a baking dish.

Let the cake cool completely at room temperature before you add the cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.

Make the frosting: Add 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 6 Tbsp softened butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a large bowl.

Use a handheld mixer to mix the frosting ingredients together. Now, continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Keep mixing with the mixer after each addition. Blend until all the powdered sugar is added and the frosting is creamy and smooth.

Cream cheese frosting being spread onto a homemade carrot cake.

When your cake is cooled (and only when it is cooled!), spread the homemade cream cheese frosting on top.

Finished carrot cake topped with a cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts.

Now, sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans over top. Slice your sheet pan carrot cake into 15 slices (or as many slices as you want), and serve!

Overhead view of a homemade carrot cake cut into squares

Shred your own carrots. Don’t be tempted by those pre-shredded carrots at the store. They’re much too thick for this recipe. I highly recommend shredding your own using the fine-holed side of a box grater.
Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause the cake to become too dense instead of light and fluffy. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until they are just barely combined and there are no traces of dry flour left in the bowl.
Let the cake cool before frosting. How long this can take will totally depend on the temperature of your kitchen. If you add the cream cheese frosting while the cake is still hot, it’ll melt and make a huge mess (and that’s not what I want for you!) Let it cool at room temperature and then frost when cooled.
Either grease or line your baking sheet. I personally line my baking dish with parchment paper, but you can also grease it WELL with butter.
Choose your mix-ins. I love golden raisins mixed into the batter of my homemade carrot cake. They’re like little bites of joy to me. I also sprinkle chopped pecans over the frosting, but you can either leave these out or swap them for chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, or regular dark raisins.

Can I Make this A Layer Cake?

I’ve only ever used a baking dish for this carrot cake recipe, as I love the ease and convenience of a sheet pan cake! But I don’t see why you couldn’t turn this recipe into a layer cake if you wanted to. This recipe makes enough batter to fill a 9×13” baking dish, which is roughly equivalent to two 9” round cake pans. I’d divide the batter evenly, bake, and make sure the layers are completely cool before frosting.

Your cakes will definitely cook quicker in a round cake pan, so I’d check them at around the 30-minute mark. If a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, they’re done.

How to Store

Keep any leftover slices in an airtight container (or wrapped in plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let them sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving to let the frosting soften a bit. I actually really like my carrot cake most after it’s had a little time to rest. The flavors deepen, and the frosting soaks into the cake just a bit, making it extra moist and dreamy. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before frosting.

Side view of a fluffy cake with icing on a plate.

“Do Nothing” Cake

$9.31 recipe / $0.62 serving

Strawberry Sheet Cake

$11.72 recipe / $0.78 serving

Banana Cake

$10.80 recipe / $0.72 serving

Coffee Cake

$6.31 recipe / $0.70 serving

The post Carrot Cake appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Vegetarian Recipes

Cherry Blondies

Whenever I’m craving something sweet, but I’m sick of the same old same old, I whip up a batch of these fudgy, chewy, fragrant Cherry Blondies! The creamy white chocolate, tart cherries, and crunchy almonds make this recipe stand out. This is not your typical blondie! I don’t use almond extract too often, but pairing its flavor with cherries and white chocolate is just a no-brainer to me. (But a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly!)

Easy Recipe for Cherry Blondies

Blondies are like brownies, just without the cocoa. Instead, they’re made with brown sugar and vanilla, and have the BEST buttery flavor and chewy texture.

For these cherry blondies, I mix in canned cherry pie filling (it adds a sweet-tart cherry flavor without a lot of fuss or cost), slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips. I also brown the butter first to bring out a nutty, almost toffee-like richness that’s totally worth the extra few minutes. A mix of brown and white sugar strikes the perfect balance of moisture and structure, while a splash of almond extract adds a frangipane-style flavor. Bake them once, and you’ll see why I keep coming back to this combo. 😋

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Cherry Blondies

These easy Cherry Blondies are loaded with white chocolate, almonds, and cherry pie filling for a sweet treat that’s simple to make and hard to resist.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $5.82 recipe / $0.64 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Chill Time 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings slices

Calories 429kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

8×8” Baking Dish
Parchment Paper
3 Mixing Bowls
Sauce Pan
Hand Mixer

Ingredients

1¾ cups all-purpose flour $0.28
½ tsp baking powder $0.02
¼ tsp salt $0.01
1 large egg $0.29
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47
½ tsp almond extract $0.15
½ cup cherry pie filling $0.73*
1½ sticks salted butter cut into cubes, $1.48
½ cup granulated sugar $0.19
1 cup brown sugar $0.91
¼ cup white chocolate chips $0.42
¼ cup slivered almonds $0.87

Instructions

Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350℉.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and cherry pie filling. Mix together and set aside.
Cube the butter and melt over medium heat until frothy, whisking once in a while to make sure the milk solids don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
Once butter is browned, it will have a nutty aroma and darken in color. (Babysit it! Don’t let it burn!) Remove from heat.
Combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugar.
Mix with a hand mixer on low until combined. Then, add the wet cherry mixture and continue to mix until combined.
Finally, gently mix in the dry flour mixture little by little until a batter forms.
Fold in white chocolate and almond slivers.
Transfer batter to greased and line baking dish and add some extra white chocolate and almonds on top, if you have them.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. The interior may still be a little gooey. These are chewier than your typical brownie! Enjoy.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*The ingredients in a can of cherry pie filling are pretty simple, but I have found the Duncan Hines Comstock brand “Simply Cherry” in a can to have fewer ingredients and no added coloring, so if you see it next to the regular cherry pie filling, you may want to spring for that can instead. You could try making these with fresh cherries, which I skipped because I couldn’t find any at my local grocery store, just make sure you pit them first!

Nutrition

how to make Cherry Blondies step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper. Set this aside for now.

Flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1¾ cups flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Set this aside.

Cherry pie filling, egg, and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a different mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract, and ½ cup of cherry pie filling. Set this aside for now as well.

Brown the butter: Add 1½ sticks of cubed salted butter to a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until frothy, being sure to whisk it once in a while to avoid the milk solids from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Babysit it, and don’t let it burn! It typically takes about 5-8 minutes for butter to brown.

When the butter is browned, it’ll smell nutty and be darker in color. There will also be flecks of brown throughout (those are toasted milk solids, and they’re full of flavor). Remove it from the heat once done.

Brown and white sugar added to a bowl of browned butter.

Make the batter: Pour the browned butter into a mixing bowl and add ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

The wet ingredients for cherry blondies added to the creamed butter and sugar.

Use a hand mixer on low to combine the browned butter and sugars. Once mixed, add the wet cherry pie filling mixture and keep mixing until thoroughly combined.

Dry ingredients added to the wet ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Now, gently fold in the dry flour mixture a little at a time until a thick batter forms.

Slivered almonds added to the batter for cherry blondies.

Finally, fold in ¼ cup white chocolate chips and ¼ cup slivered almonds.

The batter for cherry blondies in a lined baking dish.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If you have any extra, top the batter with a few white chocolate chips and slivered almonds to make it look extra pretty.

Finished homemade cherry blondies in a baking dish.

Bake: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. They’re done once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let your homemade cherry blondies cool for 20 minutes before cutting for the best results. They may still be a little gooey! They’re definitely chewier than your average brownie but just as delicious. Enjoy!

Overhead view of a baking dish of cherry blondies with one missing.

Tips for Browning Butter

I brown the butter in this cherry dessert recipe because it gives the blondies the most amazing, deep, nutty flavor that plain melted butter can’t match. You could skip this step and just melt it, but it definitely wouldn’t taste the same.

It’s honestly so easy to brown butter, and only takes about 5-8 minutes from start to finish! Here’s how to do it right (we also have a step-by-step breakdown with photos on how to brown butter you can check out, too!):

Use a light-colored pan if you have one. It makes it easier to see the color change.
Watch it closely. Browning happens fast, and it can burn before you know it. Stay nearby and use medium heat.
It’ll start to froth. That’s normal. Just keep gently stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Look for brown flecks. Those are the milk solids toasting, which is exactly what you want.
Pull it off the heat right away. As soon as it smells nutty and the color deepens, about 5 minutes, take it off the heat! It’s ready to use.

You can even make a big batch of browned butter and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and use it in future recipes. It’s obviously delicious in my cherry blondies recipe, but it’s also amazing tossed with plain pasta, drizzled over roasted veggies, or mixed into oatmeal.

Line your pan with parchment paper. It makes it way easier to lift the blondies out and slice them cleanly once they’ve cooled.
Let them cool in the pan. As good as they smell fresh out of the oven, I let my blondies cool for at least 20 minutes to help them set up properly. They’ll slice neater, and the texture will be just right.
Check for doneness with a toothpick. You’re looking for a mostly clean toothpick when inserted into your white chocolate cherry blondies. If you hit a cherry or a melty white chocolate chip, it might smear a bit, so try a second spot! Don’t forget, they may still be a little gooey on the inside rather than cakey.

Storage Instructions

Personally, I enjoy these cherry pie blondies cold! I like to keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and grab one whenever I need a sweet pick-me-up. They’ll be good for up to 3-4 days when stored this way. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.