The BEST Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
This truly is the BEST Carrot Cake ever! Moist tender and fluffy layers of spiced carrot cake with smooth, creamy and fluffy cream cheese frosting!
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pans
- electric mixer
- Wire Rack
- offset spatula
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 284g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups finely grated carrots from about 3 medium carrots (240g)
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar 145g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup sunflower oil 160ml
- ½ cup plain yogurt full fat or low fat, 120ml
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup 80ml
- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts optional
- ½ cup soaked and drained raisins optional (70g)
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 1 ⅔ cups powdered icing sugar sifted and divided (200g)
- 1 block cream cheese softened (250g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice 7ml
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with rounds of parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
- Make the cake batter. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine grated carrots, both sugars, and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add oil, yogurt, and maple syrup and beat until evenly blended.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Do not over-mix. Add walnuts and raisins (if using) and fold them in until evenly distributed.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28-32 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
Frosting and Assembly
- Make the frosting. Beat soft butter with 1 cup of icing sugar for about 2 minutes until very smooth and fluffy.
- Cut the block of soft cream cheese into cubes and beat it in one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated, thick, fluffy, and pale in color. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla until combined, and then beat in remaining icing sugar until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and very creamy.
- Place one layer of cake onto a serving plate. Use an offset spatula to spread about 1 cup of frosting over the top, leaving about a ½-inch border.
- Place the second layer on top and press it down gently to stick to the bottom layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the whole cake. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Dollop the remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread it out from the top working your way out to the edges and then down the sides again if you wish.
- To make little carrots, reserve about 3 tablespoons of frosting. Place 2 tablespoons into a small bowl and add a little orange food coloring. Place 1 tablespoon into another small bowl and stir in a little green food coloring. Use a zip-top plastic bag to pipe little carrots on top.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Notes
Raisins and walnuts are optional in the cake batter. Adjust frosting decorations as desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
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