Classic Carrot Cake
This carrot cake is moist, dense, and flavorful! Topped with the most amazing cream cheese frosting.
This is my husband's most requested cake! Delicious spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, and with tons of cream cheese frosting in between each layer
How to make carrot cake!
- In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients. Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Fold in shredded carrots and pecans.
- Generously butter and flour three 9-inch baking pans, divide the batter into the pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar a little at a time and mix.
- Frost one cake layer then place another on top and repeat until the cake is frosted.
- Garnish with more chopped pecans if desired.
I love cream cheese frosting, not gonna lie I'm the only one that is allowed to lick the bowl...so good! I usually make this cake ahead of time and wrap the layers in saran wrap and either freeze it or refrigerate it for a couple of days. Something about putting it in the refrigerator makes it super moist and easy to frost.
This carrot cake has three delicious layers, it has the perfect ratio of frosting to cake. These are the pans use, I love them!
If you love this carrot cake then I think you will also love these!
- Chocolate Bundt cake with Ganache Glaze
- Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake
- Sour Cream Crumb Cake
- Double Chocolate Banana Cake
- Rich and Creamy New York Cheesecake
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Classic Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cups chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese softened
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Generously butter and flour the bottom and sides of all three baking pans.
- In a large bowl mix sugars, oil, and eggs and mix just until combined.
- In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda baking powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in carrots and pecans
- Divide the cake mix into the three 8-inch round cake pans.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let set cool then remove from the pans and place on a cooling rack or parchment paper.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- In a large bowl add softened cream cheese and butter. Using an electric hand mixer, mix until light and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time and mix until incorporated. Add in vanilla and mix until combined.
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or platter and top with about 3/4 - 1 cup frosting. Smooth it out and place another cake layer on top and repeat.
It blends nicely with the cinnamon and nutmeg but you can certainly leave it out if you prefer.
I have never seen cayenne pepper added to carrot cake.
No need to squeeze them
I'm new to carrot cake baking. Should the carrots be squeezed to absorb moisture before adding to the mixture?
Yes, you can! I would add about 1 cup, I would also give them a light toss in a tablespoon of flour just to make sure they don't sink.
Question: Could I add raisins to this recipe and if so how many?
Yes, this will work in a 9x13 baking dish.
Can this be cooked in a 9x13 baking dish?
Yes, I edited the instructions just add the sugars, oil, and egg and mix.
The video doesn’t exactly match the written instructions so I’m wondering if it makes a difference to mix the sugars and the oil before adding the eggs, or to just put it all in the bowl at once, then mix. Thanks.