Moist Spiced Carrot Cake (Printable Version)
Moist, spiced carrot cake with a creamy frosting, enriched with nuts and warming spices.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1 cup vegetable oil
11 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
12 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13 - 3 cups finely grated carrots
14 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
15 - ½ cup raisins (optional)
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
16 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
17 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
20 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
05 - Fold in the grated carrots and, if using, the chopped nuts and raisins.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, then beat until light and fluffy.
09 - Once cakes are fully cooled, spread a layer of frosting on one cake. Place second cake on top and frost the top and sides evenly.
10 - Optionally, garnish with extra nuts or carrot shavings as desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The secret is in the oil and crushed pineapple moisture that keeps this cake impossibly tender for days, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert
- Those warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger—create a cozy flavor that tastes like a hug and pairs beautifully with morning coffee or evening wine
- The cream cheese frosting is so silky and tangy that it feels like you're eating something fancy enough for a bakery, yet homemade and genuine
02 -
- Grate your carrots finely and, if they seem very wet, give them a gentle squeeze over the sink. Too much moisture in the batter can make the cake heavy, but a little moisture is what keeps it tender. It's a balance learned through trial and error.
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. Cold eggs, cold cream cheese, and cold butter won't emulsify properly, and you'll end up with a grainy, separated frosting and a denser cake. Set them out an hour before you bake.
03 -
- Invest in an oven thermometer. So many baking disappointments come from ovens that run hotter or cooler than they claim. A 25-degree difference changes everything.
- If your cream cheese frosting breaks or looks grainy, add a teaspoon of milk and beat for another minute. Sometimes it just needs to be coaxed back to smoothness.