This Carrot Cake has 3 layers of moist cake with a homemade cream cheese frosting in between. We incorporated chopped pecans as well for a crunchy, tasty addition.
If you love Carrot Cake like I do, go take a look at our big list of over 30 Carrot Cake Desserts. So many great desserts to choose from!
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese frosting just seems to pair so wonderful with these flavors. This cake is really great all on it’s own, but add in the icing and pecans and it’s amazing. Even people who aren’t carrot fans really like a slice of this dessert.
Here Is What You’ll Need:
- Carrots: These will need to be grated carrots which you can get already done for you at the grocery store. If you’re feeling up to it, you can always shred them yourself with a grater.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar.
- Oil: We used Canola oil for this cake or you can use vegetable oil.
- Eggs
- Flour: For this dessert, use all-purpose flour. You could also use gluten-free.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Nuts: You can buy pecans and chop them yourself using a food processor or buy them ready to go from the store. Walnuts could also be used as a substitution.
- Butter: This is for the frosting and you will want to have this softened up pretty good before trying to mix it.
- Cream Cheese: Another ingredient that needs to be room temperature softened before using.
- Vanilla: Always try to use pure vanilla extract if you’ve got it. Imitation just isn’t the same!
How To Make A Carrot Cake
- Prep. Pre-heat your oven to 350 and spray your 9-inch round pans. If you’re doing it by hand, grate your carrots and chop your pecans.
- Make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil and eggs. Then, stir in the dry ingredients like flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and ground cinnamon. Lastly, fold in the pecans and carrots.
- Bake. Cook the cakes in three round pans for about 25-30 minutes.
- Make the frosting. While your cakes cool, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Decorate. Cut the domes off the top of the cakes so they are flat. Frost each layer of the cake, then frost the top and sides. Sprinkle pecans around the edges and on top.
How To Store Carrot Cake
Due to the cream cheese frosting, carrot cake should be stored in the refrigerator. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze carrot cake. We have had success by wrapping slices individually in plastic wrap before freezing. It is still best to eat within a few weeks after freezing as the freezing can affect the texture and taste of the cake.
Optional Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll see a lot of carrot cake recipes with raisins, pineapple or coconut added. If you are a fan of any of these ingredients in your you can add 1/2 cup of raisins, 1 cup of drained crushed pineapple or 1/2 cup of coconut to this recipe for that extra wow factor.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Carrot Cake Loaf
- Yummy Carrot Cake Cookies
- Cheesecake & Carrot Cake Combo Dessert
- Realistic Carrot Patch Cupcakes
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- 4 cup sugar
- 2 cup canola oil
- 8 large eggs
- 4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 3 9 inch round cake pans
- 1 10 inch round cake boards
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 4 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
Carrot Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray the cake pans with baking spray and set aside.
- Using a standing mixer, mix until combined the sugar, oil and eggs.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrots and 1 C pecan chips.
- Divide the batter between the three cake pans.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Cream Cheese Directions
- Using a standing mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth.
Building and decorating directions.
- Cut off the domes of the cake and crumble into a bowl, set aside.
- Place the first layer of the cake onto a 10 inch round cake board.
- Scoop 1 cup of frosting into the piping bag.
- Scoop 1 cup of frosting onto the first cake layer. Smooth evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the first layer of frosting.
- Scoop another cup of frosting onto the second cake layer and smooth evenly.
- Place the last cake layer on top. Using the remaining frosting, frost entire cake.
- Using the chopped pecans, coat the entire cake. Sprinkle some of the chopped pecans on top around the edge.
- Cut and enjoy!
Last Step:
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4 comments on “Carrot Cake”
Oven temp??? Nowhere is it listed in the recipe. Only shows baking time.
Hi Howard. Thanks, we updated the post.
So I have the carrot cake in the oven at 350 I can’t find the oven temperature in the recipe so hopefully that is the correct temperature
It’s incredibly tasty!