Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Printable)

Moist spiced cake packed with carrots and nuts, topped with creamy frosting

# What You Need:

→ Cake Components

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1 cup vegetable oil
11 - 4 large eggs
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - 2 cups grated carrots
14 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
15 - 1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained
16 - 1/2 cup raisins

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
19 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In another bowl, beat together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold in grated carrots, chopped nuts, pineapple, and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Once cakes are completely cool, spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with extra nuts or grated carrot if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist thanks to crushed pineapple and plenty of grated carrots
  • This cake actually tastes better the next day when the spices have had time to settle
  • The cream cheese frosting is rich enough to make you hide a slice for midnight snacking
02 -
  • Drain the pineapple very thoroughly or your cake will not set properly in the center
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together much more smoothly than cold ones
  • The cakes are quite delicate when warm so let them cool completely before moving them around
03 -
  • Grate your carrots by hand rather than using food processor shreds for better texture
  • Let the frosted cake set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before slicing
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