Best Carrot Cake Recipe

This Carrot Cake Recipe is a perfectly moist, delectable two-layer classic carrot cake with a perfect blend of spices and pipeable cream cheese frosting.  It is one of my family’s favorites and is always asked for at Easter, family gatherings, and birthday parties. 

Are you looking for that perfect Easter dessert?  Or maybe your hubby is just like mine and his idea of the perfect birthday cake is carrot cake.  Either way, I have you covered with this carrot cake recipe.  It is dependable, delicious, and moist, and even the novice cook can handle this cake. The five-ingredient cream cheese frosting comes together quickly and is thick enough to pipe the edges if desired.  This beautiful homemade carrot cake is sure to be the hit of your holiday party.

How do you make this Carrot Cake Recipe?

For the Carrot Cake

First, shred your carrots and chop your pecans. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Now in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in about three intervals mixing with a spoon just until combined.  Now stir in the carrots and pecans just until mixed.

Divide the batter between two well-greased and floured cake pans.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool for about 30 minutes before inverting.  Let them fully cool before icing.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, creamy, and lump-free.  Add the salt and vanilla extract and continue beating until mixed in.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time while beating.

Now place one of the cooled baked carrot cake layers on the serving platter or cake stand.  Use a little short of 3/4 cup of frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread 1 cup on top. Use about 1 cup on the sides and reserve the rest for piping the edge if desired. Using your hands, carefully add the nuts to the side of the cake.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Helpful tips for making this Carrot Cake Recipe:

• Grate the carrots using a box grater or a food processor.  I like to use the small end of a box grater as I think this size is perfect for carrot cake.
• Grease and flour the cake pans well. It isn’t very good when your masterpiece sticks.  I love Baker’s Joy, and I have always had excellent results with it.
• Bring the eggs to room temperature before making the cake.
• Stir the cake portion of this recipe with a spoon and resist the urge to over-mix it.  Mix just until combined.
• Start checking the carrot cake for doneness at 30 minutes.  Do not over-bake.
• For the cream cheese frosting, soften the butter and cream cheese prior to making.
• You can also use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the cream cheese frosting.
• Use a cake stand with a little bit of a lip around it so that when some chopped pecans fall while you are pressing them on the sides, you can easily scoop them up and try again.
• Carrot cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days when properly covered and stored in the fridge.  Cover with plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out.

How do you freeze Carrot Cake?

To freeze just the cake portion, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and then carefully place it in a large zipper freezer bag. Place it in the freezer in a safe area where it will not be smashed.  The cake will stay tasty for about 3 months.  To thaw, remove it from the freezer a couple of hours before you are ready to work with it and remove it just from the freezer bag, so condensation does not occur between the bag and the cake. When it is almost completely thawed, carefully remove it from the plastic wrap.

To freeze the whole carrot cake with frosting, place the cake in the freezer without anything on it for at least two hours or until the exterior of the cake is frozen enough to wrap.  Then double wrap in plastic wrap and then a single layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.  If at all possible, place it in a box and store it in the freezer for up to four months.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

More desserts you will love!

Best Carrot Cake Recipe

A delectable, moist holiday carrot cake with a silky cream cheese frosting.  For an extra special touch, ring the sides with chopped roasted pecans and pipe the edge.

5 from 42 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 957kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil or canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 box 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2 round cake pans thoroughly.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla.  Using a spoon, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in three intervals; just until incorporated.  Stir in the carrots and 3/4 cup chopped pecans just until mixed. Divide evenly between pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool pans on cooling racks for 30 minutes prior to inverting.  Cool completely before frosting.
• In a stand mixer on medium, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, creamy, and lump-free.  Add salt and vanilla extract while continuing to beat, scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while beating; scraping down the beater, and bowl a couple more times.
• Place one of the cooled baked cake layers on a cake stand.  Use a little short of 3/4 cup of frosting on the bottom layer and spread evenly. Now add the second layer and spread about 1 cup on the top. Use about 1 cup on the sides and reserve the rest for piping the edge if desired.
• Use your hands to gently press the remaining chopped pecans (1 cup) onto the sides of the cake.  Scoop up any pieces that fall along the way and press again.  If desired, pipe top or bottom edge. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

• Grate the carrots using a box grater or a food processor.  I like to use the small end of a box grater as I think this size is perfect for carrot cake.
• Grease and flour the cake pans well. It isn't very good when your masterpiece sticks.  I love Baker's Joy, and I have always had excellent results with it.
• Bring the eggs to room temperature before making the cake.
• Stir the cake portion of this recipe with a spoon and resist the urge to over-mix it.  Mix just until combined.
• Start checking the carrot cake for doneness at 30 minutes.  Do not over-bake.
• For the cream cheese frosting, soften the butter and cream cheese prior to making.
• You can also use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the cream cheese frosting.
• Use a cake stand with a little bit of a lip around it so that when some chopped pecans fall while you are pressing them on the sides, you can easily scoop them up and try again.
• Carrot cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days when properly covered and stored in the fridge.  Cover with plastic wrap to keep the cake from drying out.

Nutrition

Calories: 957kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 95g | Vitamin A: 5672IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 3mg

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