Description
This carrot cake brings warm spices, sweet carrots, and tender crumbs together in a reliably delicious way. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and finishes beautifully with classic cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups finely grated carrots
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Substitution ideas
- Swap in a gluten-free flour blend to make this gluten-free.
- Replace regular sugar with coconut sugar for a lower-glycemic option.
- Use raisins instead of walnuts if you want a nut-free version or extra chew.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 9-inch round pans by greasing and lightly flouring them, or line with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, beat the oil and eggs together until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined — stop once you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes the cake dense.
- Fold in the grated carrots, drained pineapple, and walnuts (if using) until distributed through the batter.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for about 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn the layers out to cool completely.
- When fully cool, spread your favorite cream cheese frosting between the layers and over the top and sides.
Notes
- Grate the carrots finely for a softer, even crumb.
- Use room-temperature eggs so they incorporate smoothly and the batter mixes evenly.
- Drain the pineapple well — excess juice can thin the batter and affect baking time.
- If the cake domes, level it with a serrated knife before stacking for a neater finish.
Nutrition
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 23g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 70mg