Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

4.63 stars (24 ratings)

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Best ever recipe for carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! Moist and light, with just the right amount of spice. Filled and iced with a sweet and tangy frosting, for a classic combination that's perfect for spring!

Prep Time40

Cook Time45

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 979kcal

Ingredients

For the carrot cake layers:

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, loosely packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnnamon
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or 10 to 12 microplane scratches of whole nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups finely grated carrots (from about 1/2 pound whole fresh carrots)
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained & squeezed of excess moisture
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For the cream cheese frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (the kind in a brick)
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the carrot cake layers:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, mist three 6-inch diameter cake pans* with non-stick spray, and line with circles cut from parchment.
Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and whip on medium-high speed (scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula occasionally) until pale and very fluffy ( a FULL 5 to 8 minutes).
Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla until well-blended.
Stir in the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves on medium-low speed, until just barely combined (there should still be streaks of flour).
Fold in the carrots, pineapple, and walnuts, and transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
Bake until the cakes feel springy and a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (about 42 to 48 minutes).
Cool for 20 minutes in the pans, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When completely cool, fill and ice with cream cheese frosting.

To make the cream cheese frosting:

Place the butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
Whip on medium-low speed until smooth.
Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add about half the powdered sugar.
Stir in the powdered sugar until combined, then scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again, and add the remaining powdered sugar and the salt.
Stir together until combined, then turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and whip until the frosting is fluffy and stiff. (Be careful not to over-whip the cream cheese frosting, or it could become runny. As soon as the frosting looks stiff, turn off the mixer and use the frosting immediately.)

Notes

*Can also be made in two 8-inch diameter cake pans, two 9-inch diameter cake pans, one 9x13 rectangular baking dish, or DOUBLE the recipe to make it in a 10- cup bundt pan. Adjust bake time as needed.

For the cupcake version of this layer cake, click here: Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

For more info on the frosting, click here: The Best Way to Make Cream Cheese Frosting.

Nutrition