Description
Indulgent “classic carrot cake” brings warmth from grandma’s kitchen, blending sweet spices with tender crumb. Moist layers crowned with cream cheese frosting invite dessert lovers to savor each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
Primary Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Mix-ins:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (300 grams) grated carrots
- 1 cup (100 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup (120 grams) crushed pineapple, drained
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 350F (175C) and preparing cake pans with grease and parchment paper for effortless cake release.
- Create a dry ingredient mixture by thoroughly whisking flour, leavening agents, aromatic spices, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl until perfectly integrated.
- Whip the liquid components vigorously, blending vegetable oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture transforms into a silky, homogeneous texture.
- Merge the dry and wet ingredients gently, stirring until just combined to maintain the cake’s tender crumb, then delicately incorporate shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, and optional raisins.
- Distribute the batter evenly across prepared pans, ensuring smooth surfaces, and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes, monitoring with a toothpick test for doneness.
- Allow the cake to rest in pans for 10 minutes, then transition to wire cooling racks, enabling complete temperature reduction before frosting.
- Craft the cream cheese frosting by whipping butter and cream cheese until velvety, gradually introducing powdered sugar, vanilla, and a subtle salt accent for balanced flavor.
- Transform the cooled cake layers into an elegant dessert by spreading frosting between and around the cake, creating smooth surfaces and optionally garnishing with additional nuts or carrot shreds.
Notes
- Swap vegetable oil with applesauce or mashed banana for a healthier, lower-fat version that keeps the cake moist and tender.
- Use gluten-free flour blend to make this cake suitable for those with gluten sensitivities, ensuring the texture remains soft and delicious.
- Toast chopped nuts before adding to the batter to enhance their nutty flavor and provide a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Consider reducing sugar by 25% and adding extra spices like cardamom or allspice to boost flavor without compromising the cake’s sweetness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg