Carrot cake

"Carrot Cake is a classic dessert that combines the natural sweetness of carrots with the richness of a moist, spiced cake. "

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin it!

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cake, Carrots recipe

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1 10

Servings:

Equipment

Round cake pan

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

1 cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans optional (125g)
1 cup Cooking Oil use canola, avocado, or vegetable oil (235ml)
4 Large Eggs room temperature
1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
1 cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar¹ firmly packed (200g)
1 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ cup Unsalted Butter melted (113g)
2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour 315g
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3 cups Grated Carrots² peel before grating (340g)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

For Cream Cheese Frosting³:

8 oz Cream Cheese softened, brick-style, not spreadable (226g)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ cup 1 stick Unsalted Butter (softened) (113g)
¼ teaspoon Salt
4 cups Powdered Sugar 500g

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 8-inch pans⁴ by lining the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly greasing and flouring the sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add the canola oil and melted butter, stirring well. The batter will be stiff and thick; you can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer for a smooth consistency.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Mix in the carrots and nuts (if using) until all ingredients are well-combined.
Divide the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared baking pans and bake at 350F (175C) for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Ensure the cakes are completely cooled before covering them with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl, using an electric mixer to beat until creamy, well-combined, and free of lumps.
Add vanilla extract and sprinkle salt into the bowl, stirring well to combine.
With the mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until all ingredients are thoroughly combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
Once the cake has cooled completely, cover it with the cream cheese frosting.

Notes

If you plan to consume the cake on the same day of preparation or within 48 hours, and you can store it in a cool, dry place, refrigeration is not necessary. However, it's essential to keep it in an airtight container. If you intend to store it for a longer period, I recommend refrigerating it in an airtight container, where it will remain fresh for about 5 days.