# Please vote on the important topic of proper carrot cake ingredients **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531 "2018-10-05T21:28:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/1 "2018-10-05T21:28:55Z")
What properly belongs in carrot cake? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/2 "2018-10-05T21:32:38Z")
Simple answer is whatever the baker darn well wants to put in it. Complainers will be given instructions on how to find the kitchen. Carrot cake is one of those things that every grandmother makes a little bit different and all of them make it correctly. Just ask them. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/3 "2018-10-05T21:33:28Z")
Well definitely not walnuts for those allergic to same. If I got one with either pineapple or raisins, my wife would complain. I could take raisins, but I certainly don’t need them and the best carrot cakes do not have them. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/4 "2018-10-05T21:41:00Z")
Who in their right mind would put pineapple in carrot cake?? I’m just…I’m insulted!!! The only thing that even MAYBE belongs in carrot cake besides carrots is walnuts. I prefer none but it’s not the end of the world if they’re there. But PINEAPPLE??? UGH. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/5 "2018-10-05T21:45:45Z")
I’m not entirely sure I’ve had raisins in my carrot cake. It’s possible. Certainly seems like a reasonable ingredient. Pineapple, I’m completely unaware of. It seems to cease to be carrot cake at that point, but what do I know? I’m not a big sweets guy. Walnuts, though, yes. Doesn’t _have_ to, but I like it. So I voted, no, no, yes. ---
**Author:** ![icantdraw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@icantdraw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icantdraw)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/6 "2018-10-05T21:53:13Z")
Don’t care what’s in it. Must have .5" rich butter cream icing. I’ll take a corner piece, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/7 "2018-10-05T22:02:04Z")
> [@icantdraw](#): > > Don’t care what’s in it. > > Must have .5" rich butter cream icing. > > I’ll take a corner piece, thanks. Wait wait wait… carrot cake has cream cheese icing/frosting. I prefer it to be a German buttercream sweetened with maple, but you do you. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/8 "2018-10-05T22:24:15Z")
Carrot cake shots Equal parts: Goldschlager Baily’s Irish Cream Butterscotch schnapps Shaken and poured into a rocks glass. Drank as a shot. Delicious. But super sweet hangover fuel, so dont di more than 1 or 2 in a night. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/9 "2018-10-05T22:28:50Z")
I’ve worked in liquor stores; why have I never heard of Butterscotch schnapps? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/10 "2018-10-05T22:32:54Z")
I never seen it either, Burpo. But I do live at the ass-end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/11 "2018-10-05T23:02:06Z")
No on the first two. Couldn’t vote on walnuts because they’re fine either way. But raisins and pineapple don’t fit. Raisins bread is great, but it gets in the way of the cake flavor. And I’ve never even heard of using pineapple: adding that makes is a pineapple cake. Walnuts can work since they don’t override the taste the carrots provide. But sweet fruit does. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/12 "2018-10-05T23:09:57Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I’ve worked in liquor stores; why have I never heard of Butterscotch schnapps? Probably because it is disgusting crap. On it’s own, anyway. Carrot cakes are the only use for it. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/13 "2018-10-05T23:15:20Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Probably because it is disgusting crap. On it’s own, anyway. Carrot cakes are the only use for it. A shot of it is kind of nice in a latte.\* - Og I feel dirty for saying that. Doesn’t mean it’s not true though. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/14 "2018-10-05T23:40:21Z")
All three choices are optional. My best recipe lists walnuts as optional, and the basic cake is so damn good, the walnuts would not be missed. ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/15 "2018-10-05T23:43:43Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > All three choices are optional. > > My best recipe lists walnuts as optional, and the basic cake is so damn good, the walnuts would not be missed. oooo, will you share or direct me to this recipe?? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/16 "2018-10-05T23:59:41Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Well definitely not walnuts for those allergic to same. Or carrots, for those allergic to them. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/17 "2018-10-06T00:03:40Z")
I’ve had carrot cake with and without raisins. My husband hates them, though, so when I make it I leave them out. Have never heard of putting pineapple in carrot cake, ever. I wouldn’t do it either, because I hate pineapple. I prefer pecans to walnuts in pretty much anything, so if there’s going to be nuts, it’ll be pecans. Some walnuts are bitter and I just don’t much care for them. I also like coconut in my carrot cake since it adds moisture, but that’s definitely a custom addition - haven’t had coconut in carrot cake anywhere but my own house. I’m good with the traditional cream cheese frosting, too, but the husband prefers a lemon glaze since it’s lighter and less sweet, and it is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/18 "2018-10-06T00:06:07Z")
My recipe uses a small can of crushed pineapple. No raisins. And I substitute pecans for walnuts. Covered with 1/2" of cream cheese butter icing. I get lots of compliments. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/19 "2018-10-06T00:29:53Z")
I add pineapple to mine. It’s so good and I always get compliments and requests for the recipe. I’m good with raisins and walnuts too. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531/20 "2018-10-06T00:35:38Z")
I’m a little surprised by the folks who’ve never noticed pineapple in carrot cake. I’d say it’s a fairly common addition. As **Aspenglow** says, it’s usually in crushed form, not chunks… maybe you’re just not noticing it? It adds moisture, acid and fruitiness, but not necessarily a distinct pineappley flavour. It’s not present in my favourite recipe, but I wouldn’t turn down a slice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-vote-on-the-important-topic-of-proper-carrot-cake-ingredients/822531.md?page=2)