Moist and Flavorful Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
This moist and flavorful Carrot Cake is packed with freshly grated carrots, warm spices, and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect dessert for any occasion, offering a balance of sweetness and spice, along with a soft texture that melts in your mouth. Whether you're making it for a family gathering or just to satisfy your sweet tooth, this carrot cake will never disappoint.
Ingredients
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For the Cake
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
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For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Combine wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until well combined.
Add the carrots and pineapple. Gently fold the grated carrots and crushed pineapple into the wet ingredients.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. If you’re using walnuts, fold them in at this stage.
Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until creamy and fluffy.
Frost the cake. Once the cake has completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on one of the cakes, stack the second on top, and frost the top and sides.
Recipe tips
Grating your own carrots will give the cake better texture and moisture than using pre-shredded ones. Add a pinch of orange zest or a tablespoon of orange juice to the frosting for a fresh citrus twist. If you love a bit of crunch, toasted pecans or walnuts are a great addition to the batter. The crushed pineapple adds extra moisture to the cake. If you prefer a denser cake, reduce the pineapple slightly.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
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