Everything is there in this traditional carrot cake recipe: a rich, sweet cream cheese frosting, crunchy nuts, a subtle, warm spice taste, and an incredibly moist crumb.
I think this simple carrot cake recipe is excellent, and you will agree after trying it! This delicately spiced cake is sure to become your new favorite, thanks to its generous amount of freshly grated carrots, richness from brown sugar and vanilla, and smooth cream cheese icing. You may enjoy pieces of the cake all week long since fresh carrots and vegetable oil make it incredibly moist for days after baking.
Just a little advice: grate your carrots at home. The pre-shredded kind sold at grocery stores lacks the softness and moist crumbs that make carrot cake so beloved. They are also excessively thick and dry. Although nuts are a typical addition to carrot cakes, feel free to omit them or replace them with chopped golden raisins. This recipe is excellent the way it is, but you can simply modify it to create your own customized carrot cake.
Spices: ground nutmeg and cinnamon offer just the right amount of flavor to go with the sugar and carrots. For added warmth, you might also mix in a little amount of ground ginger.
Oil: Adding oil will make the cake incredibly moist. Choose a flavorless oil, such as canola or vegetable oil.
sugar: For the finest flavor, I use a blend of brown sugar and granulated sugar. In addition to adding moisture and depth of taste, brown sugar helps keep the cake fresh for several days!
Eggs: eggs serve as a binder and provide structure to this carrot cake recipe.
Vanilla: Use premium vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence when using vanilla.
carrot: Three cups of shredded carrots are required. It may seem excessive, but I assure you that the carrot provides just the right amount of flavor, moisture, and texture!
pecans: chopped pecans are not required, but adding them significantly improves this simple carrot cake recipe’s texture! You are welcome to replace them with chopped walnuts.
Cream cheese frosting: My favorite cream cheese frosting just requires a block of cream cheese (not the sort that comes in a jar), powdered sugar, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract.
HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE RECIPE
1. In a large basin, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Combine the wet ingredients (brown sugar, white sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract) in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Transfer the wet blend into the dry blend.
4. Mix until barely incorporated. There should be a few flour splotches left.
5. Using a wooden spoon, fold the chopped pecans and grated carrots into the batter.
6. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly coat them with butter or baking spray. Spoon the batter for carrot cake into each of the prepared pans. A toothpick put into the center of the cake should come out clean after 30 to 35 minutes of baking at 350°F. Place the cake layers on a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool fully in the pans. Place the chilled layers backward and take off the parchment paper.
7. Using a hand mixer in a large mixing basin or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the butter on medium speed until very soft. Cream cheese should be added at room temperature and beaten until frothy. Turn down the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar little by bit. After scraping down the bowl and adding the vanilla essence, beat on medium-low speed until the mixture becomes frothy and spreads easily.
8. To assemble, put one cake layer on a serving tray or cake stand, top side up. Cover the top of the cake with ¾ cup of frosting, extending it to the edge. On top of the icing, place the other cake layer, top side down. Cover the cake’s sides and top with the leftover icing. If desired, garnish with piped frosting and chopped pecans. Let the cake cool for half an hour before slicing.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPES
Weigh the flour. The last thing anyone wants is dry carrot cake, so watch how much flour is added to the mixture. A kitchen scale yields the most precise measurements for measuring flour. If you don’t have one, level the top of the flour with a knife after fluffing it up in its container and spooning it into the measuring cup.
Utilize items that are at room temperature. Make sure the eggs, butter, and cream cheese are room temperature when you begin baking so they mix in smoothly with the other ingredients. Just place them 30 to 45 minutes in advance on your kitchen counter. To help butter and cream cheese soften more quickly, chop them into bits.
Use a food processor or a box grater to shred carrots at home. The texture of the carrot cake will be impacted by pre-shredded carrots since they are excessively thick and dry.
Change the ingredients in this recipe for carrot cake: Replace chopped walnuts with pecans. Alternately, chop the nuts to ½ cup and mix with ½ cup of golden or dark raisins and ¼ cup of shredded coconut that has been sweetened.
To use less oil, you may use the same quantity of applesauce or canned crushed pineapple (drained thoroughly) in place of ⅓ cup of vegetable oil.
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups all purpose flour 300g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⅓ cup vegetable oil 320ml
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar 220g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla 10mL
- 3 cups grated carrots from 1 pound of carrots (315g)
- 1 cup chopped pecans 120g
for the Frosting:
- 1 8-ounce/227g block cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened 227g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar 480-600g
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Set oven temperature to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch circular cake pans lightly with butter or baking spray, then cover the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing basin.
- Beat the sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla well in a different medium-sized dish. After adding the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, stir only until everything is well blended and there are no more flour streaks.
- Mix the pecans and carrots into the batter. Evenly distribute the batter among the ready pans.
- When a toothpick put into the center comes out clean, bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake layers cool fully in the pans placed on a cooling rack made of wire. Turn the layers over and take off the parchment paper when they have cooled.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl on medium speed for approximately one minute, or until it is very soft and smooth. After adding the cream cheese, beat for 30 seconds or until frothy.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually while running the mixer on low speed. (If you want a stiffer, sweeter frosting, use more sugar.) After mixing, add the vanilla and scrape down the bowl. Beat for approximately a minute at a medium-low speed, or until fluffy and spreadable.
For the Assembly:
- Using a cake stand or serving dish, place one cooled cake layer top-side up and cover with ¾ cup of frosting, extending all the way to the cake’s edge. Top with the remaining cake layer, top side down. Cover the cake’s sides and top with the leftover icing.
- If preferred, you may press chopped toasted nuts over the frosting or reserve some of the frosting to pipe embellishments onto the cake. Before slicing, let the cake cool for thirty minutes to solidify the frosting. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week, covered.
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