Description
This best carrot cake recipe delivers a moist, flavorful cake packed with finely grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and crunchy walnuts. It is topped with a rich and creamy homemade cream cheese frosting for a classic dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (plus extra for decorating)
Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat together the vegetable oil and eggs until fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Add Carrots, Pineapple, and Walnuts. Fold in the finely grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped walnuts gently into the batter.
- Fill Pans. Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pans halfway through baking if necessary for even cooking.
- Cool Cakes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Prepare Frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake. Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting on top of one cake layer, then place the second cake layer on top. Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate with additional chopped walnuts if desired.
Notes
- For extra moist cake, ensure the pineapple is well drained to avoid excess moisture.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans if preferred.
- Store the carrot cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
- This recipe can be doubled for a larger cake or layered cupcakes.
