It’s true that I love to experiment with new recipes and tropical ingredients, but sometimes there is nothing better than breaking out a delicious, tried and trusted recipe like this classic carrot cake recipe. This cake is moist and spiced with a velvety, tangy cream cheese frosting that is to die for. There’s only a slight twist on this one, and that is the use of cinnamon and ginger in place of some of the more traditional spices like cinnamon and nutmeg – but even that can be adjusted. I don’t know what it is about cream cheese frosting, but it’s definitely in my top three choices – tangy but sweet and super creamy. What’s not to love? Cream cheese frosting for carrot cake is possibly one of the best combinations ever. When it comes to carrot cake, there are tons of variations that have appeared over the years, with extra fruits like pineapple, changes in the frosting, and various ways to change the texture and consistency. This carrot cake is light but super moist, with freshly grated carrots noticeable without being chunky within the batter. Luckily, for those who like to play around with recipes, I’ve also included several ways you can adapt this recipe to your liking. For example, I’ve added golden raisins and walnuts to my batter because I love the extra chunky bits – but I know that is a hard pass for many, so you can, of course, omit these. Check out my recipe notes section for all of my top tips!
Ingredients and notes
While no carrot cake can boast of being 5 ingredients or less or anything crazy like that, most items needed for this recipe are often already in many people’s kitchens. Plus, they’re all easy to get a hold of!
The carrot walnut cake
The Sugar: Brown sugar is key to a carrot cake packed with delicious flavor and wonderful moistness. I’ve tried many versions mixing granulated with brown sugar using just granulated white, etc. But this sugar with this amount has always led to the most flavorful, moist version. Oil: Use any mild-flavored oil. This is needed for a tender, moist, soft cake. I have previously tried to reduce the oil content and use some unsweetened apple sauce. It does work, but it can affect the flavor, so I prefer to stick to a neutral oil or only omit a little oil for applesauce. The carrots: I love to shred mine at home, freshly grated – for the best consistency and flavor. You can purchase pre-grated carrots, but I have found that they can be a little dry. I’ve added 1.5 cups to this recipe so as not to overwhelm you, but you could increase this to two cups if preferred. The flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you’re gluten-free, you can use a GF flour blend – though you may need to add a little extra moisture to the cake, so it doesn’t end up dry. Each flour will react differently regarding moisture levels. The Spices: Ginger powder, and cinnamon. You could also add nutmeg for more added flavor. I also use vanilla extract. Eggs: used for stability – I use Clarence Court Burford Browns for all my baking. Baking soda & Powder: For lift. Golden Raisins & Walnuts: If you’re anti “chunk” in your cakes feel free to omit these. You can also swap the walnuts for pecans. Salt
The cream cheese frosting
Cream Cheese: Use a block of cream cheese as tubs can be too soft and lead to runny icing. You could also use homemade cream cheese, as long as it’s ‘block’ consistency. Butter: Feel free to use homemade unsalted butter or store-bought. Powdered sugar: (confectioners sugar) Optional: You could also add a little vanilla extract and/or a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness if preferred. Alternatively, you can add the zest of half an orange for extra bright, fresh flavor.
The step-by-step instructions
Start by grating the carrots. You may need more/less than I mentioned – enough for 1.5 cups of grated carrot. Then, in a large bowl, mix the eggs and sugar. Whisk them until the sugar has completely dissolved. Gradually add the oil into the mix and whisk after each addition. Once you obtain a homogeneous mixture, add the grated carrots, walnuts, raisins, and vanilla extract. Mix well. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger powder, and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/338ºF (fan-assisted) and grease a 20cm/8″ round tin. Alternatively, you can use a square tin of 17 to 20 cm / 6.6″ to 7.8″; bigger baking tins will result in a thinner cake. Pour the cake batter into the greased tin. You can also use a layer of parchment paper to line the cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until the top turns golden brown and is cooked through. You can check with a wooden skewer if the cake has cooked through – it should come out clean. Allow the cake to cool down completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. I do this while the cake is baking and allow it to chill until ready to frost. Beat the butter until it’s fluffy and light. Then add the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Beat until it’s all well incorporated and you achieve a creamy texture. Place the frosting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you spread it on the cake. Once the cake has cooled down and the frosting has chilled, you can proceed with decorating the cake. First, spread the frosting over the cake. You can go for a fluffy messy look or for a more smooth look. Then add your favorite toppings (optionally). I love adding edible flowers and some chopped walnuts.
How to store
Any leftover carrot cake can be stored covered in the fridge for up to five days. I love to allow it to come to room temperature before serving. I sometimes purposely make this a day in advance as I love how the flavors develop, and the frosting begins to seep into the cake for a super moist and delicious treat. Some people leave leftovers at room temperature for 1-2 days, but as it’s got lots of dairy in – I err on the side of caution. Can you freeze carrot cake? You sure can. Freeze the cakes before they are frosted, and they will be okay in the freezer for between 2-3 months. Allow it to thaw and then frost before serving. To freeze, double wrap it tightly in some plastic wrap, eco-wrap, aluminim foil or an airtight freezer-safe bag, to maintain texture and avoid freezer burn.
Recipe tips and variations
When measuring out the flour, it’s best to spoon it into your cup and level off rather than pack it into the measuring cup. Otherwise, measure the ingredients for accuracy. One of the main things many people have issues with is how to make cream cheese frosting with the correct consistency. Always use block cheese (not tub!) and feel free to chill the frosting in the fridge to help it thicken up before piping/spreading. You can use a food processor to chop the carrots into a crumb consistency. This will distribute evenly throughout the batter for lighter results. I’ve tried both ways and prefer the grated chunkier bits but feel free to experiment. To make carrot cake cupcakes. Just fill the liners 2/3 of the way and bake (180ºC/350ºF) for 18-20 minutes, then use a toothpick inserted to the middle, to make sure they’re cooked through (it should come out dry or slightly crumbly but not wet) and cook for longer if needed. Rather than making a layer cake, you can also make a sheet cake with the cream cheese frosting topping. For a nut-free version, omit the nuts. Feel free to omit the raisins too. You could also swap these with some dried apricots or chopped pineapple – just be aware not to add too much additional moisture into the batter. For a lighter frosting, you can make an orange icing with a combination of a little orange juice, zest, and powdered sugar until you achieve the correct consistency. Feel free to add some shredded coconut for added texture. Around ¼ cup will work well – be aware that coconut soaks up moisture, so too much will dry out the cake.
More cake recipes
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Zucchini Cake Peach Dump Cake Blood Orange Cake
If you give this easy carrot cake recipe a try, then let me know your thoughts in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
