Carrot Cake

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When my kids were little, I started a small baking business making cakes and cupcakes. During that time, I spent weeks perfecting my recipes for all the classic cake flavors, and this carrot cake quickly became a favorite. With a perfect blend of spices, an ultra-moist crumb, and luscious cream cheese frosting, it’s hard to beat.

The carrot cake recipe works beautifully as a 9-inch layer cake or a 9-by-13-inch sheet cake. And if you’re looking for more tried-and-true cake recipes, don’t miss my vanilla birthday cake, chocolate cake, and classic yellow cake!

What You’ll Need To Make Carrot Cake

• Dried currants: These add little bursts of sweetness and flavor, but are optional if you prefer a smoother cake.
• Flour, baking soda, and spices: All-purpose flour gives the cake structure, baking soda helps it rise, and a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves adds warm, cozy flavor.
• Sugars, eggs, and oil: These form the wet base of the batter, adding sweetness, richness, and moisture for a tender crumb.
• Carrots: The star ingredient adds natural sweetness, moisture, and that distinctive flavor everyone loves.
• Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts bring flavor and crunch; skip them if you like.
• Cream cheese frosting: A creamy, tangy mix of cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar is the perfect finishing touch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set a rack in the middle. Spray your pans with nonstick baking spray (the kind with flour), line the bottoms with parchment, and give the parchment a quick spritz too—just to be safe.

Step 2: Soak the currants. Place the currants in a small bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Let them soak for about 15 minutes to plump up, then drain well and set aside.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

Step 4: Mix the nuts and currants. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients and place it in a small bowl. Add the drained currants and chopped nuts, then toss to coat. This simple step helps keep them evenly distributed throughout the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.

Step 5: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well blended. Add the oil and whisk again until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.

Step 6: Combine everything. Add the flour mixture, grated carrots, and the currant-nut mixture to the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently until everything is evenly incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.

Step 7: Prep for baking. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Step 8: Bake the cake. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and cool completely. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to a day, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Step 9: Make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt on low speed until smooth and combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute more.

Step 10: Assemble and frost the cake. Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a serving platter and spread with half of the frosting. Set the second layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top, swirling it decoratively. If you’d like, sprinkle chopped nuts around the edges for garnish. The frosted cake keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days—just let it come to room temperature before serving.

Carrot Cake

Serves 16 in a (9-in) layer cake or 20 in a (9 x 13-in) sheet cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

For the Cake

• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots, from 1 pound of carrots (see note)

For the Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

For the Cake

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 9-inch (23-cm) cake pans (or a 9 x 13-inch/23 x 33-cm cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper; lightly spray the paper with nonstick spray with flour.

In a small bowl, soak the currants in 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Transfer 1/4 cup (33 g) of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and chopped nuts; toss to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until blended. Add the oil and whisk until evenly combined. Add the flour mixture, carrots, and the currant-nut mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.

Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes for 9-inch layers or 45 minutes for a 9 x 13-inch sheet cake. Let cool in the pans on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely.

For the Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

After the cake layers have completely cooled, assemble and frost the cake. Decorate the edges with the nuts, if using. The cake keeps nicely for up to 3 days when stored under a cake dome in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

To shred the carrots, simply use the small holes on your handheld or box grater. If you prefer, you can also roughly chop the carrots, place them into a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse them until they’re very finely chopped, about the consistency of couscous.

This recipe provides just enough frosting to ice a 9-inch (23-cm) layer cake (or to generously frost a 9 x 13-inch/23 x 33-cm sheet cake). For an extra generous layer of frosting on a layer cake, consider leaving the sides bare—it’s pretty that way—or boost the frosting amount by 25 percent for fuller coverage. (The adjusted quantities would be: 10 ounces of cream cheese, 10 tablespoons of butter, 1 1/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract, a generous pinch of salt, and 5 cups of confectioners’ sugar.)

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake layers individually in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the layers overnight on the countertop before frosting and serving. Note: It’s best to freeze the cake unfrosted, as the frosting may not maintain its quality once frozen and thawed.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (20 servings), Calories: 479kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 282mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 46g

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram

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