Description
Homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting delivers classic comfort through moist layers packed with spices and nuts. Creamy frosting and delicate carrot garnish complete this beloved dessert you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsps milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare cake pans by coating with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Combine all dry ingredients in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring thorough blending of flour, sugar, leavening agents, aromatic spices, and seasoning.
- Create a separate mixture of liquid and textural components, whisking together vegetable oil, farm-fresh eggs, finely shredded carrots, and optional chopped walnuts until harmoniously integrated.
- Gently fold wet ingredients into dry mixture, using careful circular motions to incorporate without overworking the batter, which could result in dense cake texture.
- Distribute batter evenly between prepared cake pans, ensuring balanced layers for consistent baking and smooth surface.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, monitoring for golden-brown edges and checking doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into cake center.
- Allow cake layers to cool completely on wire rack, preventing moisture condensation that could compromise frosting application.
- Craft cream cheese frosting by blending softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract, adjusting consistency with small milk additions for spreadable texture.
- Apply frosting generously between cake layers and across exterior, creating smooth, even coverage for an elegant presentation.
- Optional: Garnish with additional chopped walnuts or decorative carrot shavings for visual appeal and textural contrast.
Notes
- Swap walnuts with pecans or omit nuts entirely for nut-free version, perfect for those with allergies.
- Use whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour blend to make recipe more diet-friendly and accommodate different nutritional needs.
- Enhance moisture by adding crushed pineapple or applesauce, which helps create a softer, more tender cake texture without extra oil.
- Control sweetness by reducing powdered sugar in frosting or using alternative sweeteners like stevia for lower-sugar dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg