Indulge in our delectable carrot cake, a moist and fragrant dessert that combines the sweetness of carrots with a subtle blend of spices. This comforting pastry, crowned with a luscious cream cheese frosting, is sure to delight your taste buds and impress your guests.
What you’ll love about this recipe
- Flavors: A harmonious marriage between the natural sweetness of carrots, the warmth of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger), and the richness of cream cheese frosting.
- Textures: An incredibly moist cake, studded with crunchy walnuts, all topped with a creamy and smooth frosting.
- Difficulty level:
- Overall assessment: Intermediate
- Tips: Prepare the cake a day ahead and frost it on the day of serving for optimal results.
- Recommendations: Ensure the cake is completely cooled before frosting.
- Special equipment: A 9-inch round cake pan and a grater for the carrots.
Choosing your ingredients wisely
- Carrots: Opt for fresh, crisp carrots. Grate them finely for better integration into the batter.
- Spices: Use freshly ground spices for a more pronounced aroma.
- Cream cheese: Choose a Philadelphia-style cream cheese, at room temperature for a smooth frosting.
How to make carrot cake?
- Mix the dry ingredients
- Incorporate the wet ingredients
- Add grated carrots and walnuts
- Bake the cake
- Prepare the frosting
- Assemble and decorate
Tips for making a successful carrot cake at home
- Tip 1: Don’t overmix the batter to keep the cake moist and tender.
- Tip 2: Use vegetable oil instead of butter for a moister cake.
- Tip 3: Sift the powdered sugar for a perfectly smooth frosting.
- Tip 4: Decorate with marzipan carrots for a professional finish.
How to properly store your carrot cake?
- Store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Unfrosted, it can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Variations and accompaniments
- Add raisins or pineapple for extra flavor.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a more indulgent dessert.
Moist Carrot Cake
A delicious moist carrot cake with warm spices, crunchy walnuts, and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for afternoon tea or as a dessert!
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Grater
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- For the frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your cake pan.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Stir in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter, then add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and decorate as desired.
Notes
You can prepare the cake a day ahead and frost it on the day of serving.
For a lighter version, reduce the amount of sugar in both the cake and frosting.
For a lighter version, reduce the amount of sugar in both the cake and frosting.