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A freshly baked carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Proven way to grow 7 Amazing Carrot Cake

This proven recipe delivers a truly amazing carrot cake, moist and flavorful with a perfect balance of spices. It's a crowd-pleaser that's sure to become a family favorite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 9-inch round baking pans
  • Large bowl
  • Whisk
  • Another bowl
  • Electric mixer
  • Wooden skewer
  • Wire rack
  • Medium bowl

Method
 

Cake Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans by greasing and flouring them.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
  3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract; then gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  4. Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting Preparation
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
  2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until fluffy.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Assembly
  1. Once the cakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top of one cake layer.
  2. Carefully place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the entire cake.
  3. Optionally, garnish with additional chopped nuts or carrot curls.

Notes

For an extra touch of flavor, you can add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice to the cake batter. Ensure all ingredients, especially the cream cheese and butter for the frosting, are at room temperature for the best results.