Origins of carrot cake

[snopes]

Comment: I heard once that the way carrot cake came into existence was
there was a plethora of carrots after WWI or II in the military so there
was a cook-off to see what the best dish was made with carrots. The
carrot cake won.

[AnglRdr]

See, and I thought carrot cake was the invention of hippies.

[compass]

I thought it was supposed to be a cheap way to sweeten things, especially when sugar was rationed. However most recipes seem to pile on the sugar anyway so maybe not.

[Blatherskite]

Originally Posted by compass

I thought it was supposed to be a cheap way to sweeten things, especially when sugar was rationed. However most recipes seem to pile on the sugar anyway so maybe not.

Actually, I agree. Especially since 'turnip cake' is also an equally sweet (yet slightly less popular) cake. Certain vegetables are sweet tasting, and bakers through the ages knew and exploited the fact. That the sugary root vegetables are cheaper and more readily available is possibly an advantage that was - well, taken advantage of, during the world wars, but I suspect carrot cake was already a well-regarded treat before it became a national pastime due to rationing. Carrot cake, regardless of the time period, is frankly delicious. If you think otherwise you're some kind of deviant - there, I've said it. Taste doesn't need much context. Carrots, already readily available, became the go-to vegetable and carrot cake became an iconic cake. That it didn't require much sugar or honey to taste sweet was an added bonus to a time period that was not known for its culinary prowess or abundance in flavour. However, carrot cakes have withstood the test of time and thrived, despite the fact that additional sugar or honey or syrup can often make them taste worse than the original vegetable-friendly recipe requires. Oh, yeah, I like me some carrot cake.

[Tootsie Plunkette]

Someone needs to explain zucchini bread, then.

[Assilem Brandywine]

I remember someone on Yahoo!Answers once asked what carrot cake was made of and added "And don't tell me 'carrots', that's just silly!"

[Eddylizard]

I have to admit that when I was a young and callow fellow, we used to have this thing at work where in turn each week we would bring in a home baked cake (mine was either ginger cake or lemon meringue).

When it was the turn of someone who's name eludes me (might have been Susan something), she brought in home baked carrot cake. I absolutely refused to believe that there were actual carrots in the cake - I really thought she was winding me up, and that it was just a silly name.

Anyway, it was very nice, so thanks Susan, if that indeed is your name.

[FullMetal]

The story I heard about carrot cakes, (and was relayed in a Bathroom Reader, yeah i know they're always right (/sarcasm)), was a supplier of dehydrated carrots for the military had a surplus of dehydrated carrots after the war, (it was unclear whether it was WWI or WWII) and he had tried to sell the surplus, but the last thing soldiers returning home wanted was dehydrated anything. experimenting with putting it in different foods to find it he found that putting it in a cake made a very soft and moist cake. and started selling the recipe (along with packages of dehydrated carrots)

now i don't believe that for a second, as i doubt it would have been that recent a discovery, because of the reasons listed above, carrots are a naturally sweet vegetable, and would be easy to think to put it in a cake as a sweetener.

[Die Capacitrix]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

I have to admit that when I was a young and callow fellow, we used to have this thing at work where in turn each week we would bring in a home baked cake (mine was either ginger cake or lemon meringue).

Some carrot cakes are just an excuse for cream-cheese frosting. I made a low-fat version last week and never even got around to the frosting. Still yummy and we managed to polish it off in a few days.

Eddielizard, I have never heard of lemon meringue cake - I love lemon meringue pie so I am intrigued. Does this match your recipe?

[Eddylizard]

Die Capcatrix I was using the term "cake" loosely, any dessert type thing was acceptible within the rules of the unofficial scheme, and what I made was Lemon Meringue pie.

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by Tootsie Plunkette

Someone needs to explain zucchini bread, then.

Just plant a row of zucchini, promise yourself you are not going to let any home-grown veggie go to waste, and then see in about two months how creative you get about using the things.

[Andrew of Ware]

Having been to many English Heritage re-enactment events, with food being a big topic in the 'Living History' villages, I have been told that carrots have been used as a source of sugar for hundreds of years. Honey was the main source of sweetening in the mediaeval - and earlier - periods, but carrots were used when honey was not available.

At a recent National Trust re-enactment event for the Second World War I talk to a re-enactment cook and she said that carrots were again used for sweetening dishes as cane sugar became all but unavailable. Carrot cake was an especially popular wartime dish.

[Auntie Witch]

My carrot cake recipe calls for two cups of sugar - as much sugar as flour, actually.

[Insensible Crier]

Originally Posted by Tootsie Plunkette

Someone needs to explain zucchini bread, then.

It's a way to get people to eat their vegetables. That's my excuse anyway.

Originally Posted by Die Capacitrix

Some carrot cakes are just an excuse for cream-cheese frosting.

Sometimes it gets me blasted for heresy but I love carrot cake but I hate cream cheese frosting. It's just too rich for me and drowns out any taste of the cake. When I make carrot cake I just top it with a standard drizzle-type frosting like you would put on cinnamon rolls or danish.

- Insensible "You must leave before the great eating of carrot cake" Crier

[Pudding Crawl]

Probably unrelated to cake, but you get carrot-based confections like gajar halwa (Indian sweet made of carrots, milk, ghee and deliciousness all boiled up. It ends up something like carrot fudge. It is Good) which use the natural sugariness of carrots. More traditional recipes seem to use no added sugar, although this takes a day's worth of boiling.

Carrot cake tastes like really good ginger cake to me. I dislike the vegetable as a savoury; baby carrots in particular are disgustingly sweet. They might be better candied.

[Assilem Brandywine]

I found a recipe once for glazed carrots that I use sometimes. Boil baby carrots or larger carrots cut into smaller pieces until just tender. (Overcooked carrots aren't good for anything but baby food.) Drain off the water and melt enough butter over the carrots to cover them. Add some brown sugar while butter is melting. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle with crushed mint leaves.
OK, so the butter and sugar kinda defeats the purpose of a healthy side dish, but it tastes great!

[tagurit]

I think carrot cake, along with zucchini bread, are just ways to use surplus items or items that are past their prime. There are tons of recipes that got their start from frugal housewives. A few more that come to mind are banana bread, french toast, bread pudding, and fondue. I'm sure there are tons more.

[Insensible Crier]

Originally Posted by Pudding Crawl

...gajar halwa (Indian sweet made of carrots, milk, ghee and deliciousness all boiled up. It ends up something like carrot fudge. It is Good)...

It is sooooo good. We would serve it hot with ice cream. Between this and gulab jamuns, I could live off of Indian desserts.

[Aud 1]

Originally Posted by Assilem Brandywine

I found a recipe once for glazed carrots that I use sometimes. Boil baby carrots or larger carrots cut into smaller pieces until just tender. (Overcooked carrots aren't good for anything but baby food.) Drain off the water and melt enough butter over the carrots to cover them. Add some brown sugar while butter is melting. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle with crushed mint leaves.
OK, so the butter and sugar kinda defeats the purpose of a healthy side dish, but it tastes great!

I've had many different versions of glazed carrots and I always find them too sweet. What's the point? Carrots are already sweet!

I wonder if carrots have been bread sweeter over time, over taking any sugar added to carrot cake recipes.

[Esprise Me]

Originally Posted by Blatherskite

Actually, I agree. Especially since 'turnip cake' is also an equally sweet (yet slightly less popular) cake. Certain vegetables are sweet tasting, and bakers through the ages knew and exploited the fact. That the sugary root vegetables are cheaper and more readily available is possibly an advantage that was - well, taken advantage of, during the world wars, but I suspect carrot cake was already a well-regarded treat before it became a national pastime due to rationing.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned red velvet cake yet. It used to be made with beet juice instead of cane sugar, which was also what turned it red (or purple, I guess). Now, of course, it's usually made with cane sugar and food coloring, which seems kind of pointless; why not just make a regular chocolate cake?