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Several slices of moist carrot cake with creamy white frosting and chopped pecans, beautifully presented on white plates.
Daniel

Ultimate Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

An incredibly moist and flavorful carrot cake packed with freshly grated carrots, warm spices, and a hint of pineapple, all topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting. This recipe guarantees a perfectly spiced, tender crumb every time.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 658
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Carrot Cake
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour (250g)
  • 2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
  • 4 Large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 cup Light brown sugar packed (220g)
  • 1 1/4 cups Vegetable oil or other neutral oil (300ml)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3 cups Grated carrots finely grated from 4-5 medium carrots (about 300g)
  • 1 cup Chopped pecans toasted (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz Cream cheese full-fat block, softened to room temperature (226g)
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1 stick or 113g)
  • 4 cups Powdered sugar sifted (480g)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp Salt

Equipment

  • Two 9-inch round cake pans
  • Parchment Paper
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

Prepare the Cake Batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper as well.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together until well combined and slightly lightened in color.
  4. Slowly stream in the vegetable oil while whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  6. Gently fold in the grated carrots and toasted pecans (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with your spatula.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cakes should be springy to the touch.
  9. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting them onto the rack to cool completely. Carefully remove the parchment paper.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
  3. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth. Do not overbeat, or it can become runny.
Assemble the Carrot Cake
  1. Place one completely cooled cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand.
  2. Evenly spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese frosting over the top, right to the edge.
  3. Place the second cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
  4. Garnish with extra chopped pecans if desired. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the cake for at least 30-60 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set.

Notes

Grating Carrots: For the best texture, grate fresh carrots yourself using the small holes of a box grater. Avoid pre-shredded carrots as they are often dry and will not add as much moisture.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature eggs, butter, and cream cheese is crucial for a smooth batter and a non-lumpy, creamy frosting.
Do Not Overmix: Overmixing the batter after adding the flour develops the gluten and can result in a dense, tough cake. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear.
Storage: Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.