The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake:
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour 313 grams, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon of ground allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter softened (140 grams)
- 1 cup of granulated white sugar 200 grams
- ½ cup of packed light brown sugar 110 grams
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or extract
- ¾ cup of buttermilk at room temperature (178 milliliters)
- 2 cups of finely shredded carrots at room temperature (220 grams)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups of unsalted butter softened (336 grams)
- 12 ounces of cream cheese cold (340 grams)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 6 cups of powdered sugar 780 grams
- Orange food coloring optional
- Green food coloring optional
- Chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 3 6-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth and slightly fluffy.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, mixing until combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrots until evenly dispersed.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 36-41 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl, whip the butter until pale and fluffy.
- Add the cream cheese and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract.
- Divide the frosting and color as desired with orange and green food coloring.
Assembling the Cake:
- Level the cake layers.
- Apply a crumb coat of frosting, then chill for 30 minutes.
- Apply a final layer of frosting and chill for 20-30 minutes.
- Decorate the cake with piped carrots and stems using the colored frosting.
- Add chopped walnuts for extra flair, if desired.
- Pipe decorative swirls of frosting on top.
- Serve and enjoy the best carrot cake ever!