Carrot Sheet Cake

Fresh orange adds spring flavor to this classic carrot cake.

Serves: 15Prep: 40 minutesCook: 2 hoursTotal: 2 hours 40 minutesDifficulty: Medium

Serves: 15

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
  • 3 cups carrots, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon orange peel, grated
  • 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Red, yellow and green food coloring

Directions

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13"x9" cake pan.
  • In large bowl, beat sugar, oil, orange juice and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots and grated orange peel.
  • Spread in pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan completely, about 1 hour.
  • In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix on low speed until creamy and spreading consistency, adding a little milk if necessary.
  • Spoon 1/2 cup frosting in one small bowl and 1/4 cup frosting in another small bowl. Frost cake with remaining frosting; score top with tip of knife into 15 servings. Tint 1/2 cup frosting with yellow and red food coloring for orange carrots, and tint 1/4 cup frosting with green food coloring for green carrot tops.
  • Spoon tinted frostings into small resealable plastic bags. Cut 1/2" from tip of orange frosting bag and a small snip from green frosting bag. Pipe a carrot on each piece of cake.

Recipe Information

Serves: 15

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
  • 3 cups carrots, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon orange peel, grated
  • 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Red, yellow and green food coloring

Directions

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13"x9" cake pan.
  • In large bowl, beat sugar, oil, orange juice and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots and grated orange peel.
  • Spread in pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan completely, about 1 hour.
  • In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix on low speed until creamy and spreading consistency, adding a little milk if necessary.
  • Spoon 1/2 cup frosting in one small bowl and 1/4 cup frosting in another small bowl. Frost cake with remaining frosting; score top with tip of knife into 15 servings. Tint 1/2 cup frosting with yellow and red food coloring for orange carrots, and tint 1/4 cup frosting with green food coloring for green carrot tops.
  • Spoon tinted frostings into small resealable plastic bags. Cut 1/2" from tip of orange frosting bag and a small snip from green frosting bag. Pipe a carrot on each piece of cake.