This is an easy recipe to make a moist and soft eggless carrot cake made in a bread machine. Top it with cream cheese frosting and give a pleasant surprise to your family and friends.
Place wet and dry ingredients (sifted) in the bread machine container in the order as recommended by the bread machine manufacturer. DO NOT add carrots and raisins right now.
Select and start the "Quick Bread" Cycle or Cake cycle.
While it is mixing, ensure all flour from sides gets mixed well. Use a spatula to push down any flour on the sides of the container.
Just about a minute before it stops mixing and starts baking, add the shredded carrots and raisins (you don't want to over mix them) and close the lid.
Once the cycle is done, insert a butter knife or a toothpick to check if it is done. If it sticks, bake for few more minutes. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Let the cake cool down in the container for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the cake from the container and cool it on a cooling rack before icing it.
To make carrot cake in the oven
Preheat oven to 350 °F, with baking rack in the middle level.
Mix all the dry and wet ingredients (except carrots) using a hand blender or a stand mixer.
Once everything is smoothly blended, gently fold in the carrots with a spatula. Do not over-mix.
Grease an 8-inch pan with some oil and dust it with some all-purpose flour.
Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake it in the oven at 350 °F for about 40 minutes.
Insert a toothpick and check if it comes out clean, else bake for an additional few minutes.
Allow the cake to cool down in the pan before removing it.
For the icing
Allow the cake to completely cool down before icing it.
Mix all ingredients with a hand blender until smooth and fluffy. (This takes 2-3 minutes)
Slice the cake horizontally into 2-3 layers. Apply icing on every layer, on sides, and on the top.