The Best Carrot Cake Recipe (With Video)

A close-up of a slice of carrot cake on a white plate. The cake has two layers of moist, brown cake with visible nuts and is filled and topped with white cream cheese frosting. Another slice of cake is blurred in the background.

5 from 2 votes

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe (With Video)

This moist carrot cake recipe is packed with fresh carrots, pecans, and warm spices, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for carrot cake lovers!

Prep Time1 15

WORK TIME30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: yields

Calories: 526kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cake:

2¼ cups All-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons Baking powder
½ teaspoon Baking soda
1½ teaspoons Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
¼ teaspoon Salt
4 Eggs large
¾ cup Brown sugar
¾ cup White sugar
1¼ cup Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 cups Carrots, grated (about 5-6 medium carrots)
1 cup Walnuts/pecans chopped

For the frosting:

½ cup Butter softened
2 cups Cream cheese
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
⅓ cup Heavy cream cold

For decoration:

Pecans

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch (23cm) round cake pan, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
Peel and grate the carrots. Set aside.
In a separate bowl mix oil, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk for about 2-3 minutes.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.
Add grated carrots, and chopped walnuts and gently fold until incorporated.
Pour the batter intro prepared pans and bake for 30-35, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool.
Make the frosting: In a bowl place softened butter and sift in powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Add cream cheese and mix until combined and smooth. Add heavy cream and vanilla extract and whip for 1-2 minutes.
Assemble: Cut parchment paper into squares and place them around your cake stand or a large flat plate (see video), this will help keep a clean work suface and easy frosting.
Place one cake on top, then frost a genoures layer on top of the cake. Place the second cake on top of the frosting upside down (flat side facing up). *Read notes.
Spread the remaining frosting on top and the side of the cake.
Decorate: decorate the cake with halved pecans around the edges of the cake (see video).
Refrigerate the cake for at least 3-4 hours or better, overnight.

Video

Notes

Watch the Video: For a better understanding of the recipe, I always recommend watching the video recipe, which includes a step-by-step guide to help you succeed.
FAQs: Make sure you read the FAQs for this recipe which are located above the recipe box for additional tips and troubleshooting! For extra tips and variations read the article.
There is a mistake in the video! The correct amount of cream cheese is 450 grams and not 250 grams.

Nutrition