Introduction

This Best Ever Carrot Cake is moist, flavorful, and filled with warm spices. It’s perfect for any occasion and pairs beautifully with creamy cream cheese frosting.

Best Ever Carrot Cake Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
4 eggs
3/4 cup (175ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (130g) unsweetened applesauce
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar (break up any clumps)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups (348g) finely grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, butter the parchment paper, dust with flour, and shake out excess. If available, line pans with water-soaked cake strips.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the grated carrots to evenly distribute.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Step 7: Bake for 33 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 8: Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges, then invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 9: Frost the cooled cakes with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle chopped pecans on top if using.

Tips & Variations

For extra moisture, soak the grated carrots in a bit of orange juice before folding into the batter.
Swapping pecans with walnuts works well if preferred.
Use homemade cream cheese frosting for the best flavor and texture.
Adding a pinch of cloves or allspice can enhance the warm spice profile.

Storage

Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before serving, let the cake come to room temperature for the best taste. Leftover cake can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this carrot cake vegan?

This recipe uses eggs and cream cheese frosting, which are not vegan. You can substitute eggs with flax eggs and use a vegan cream cheese frosting alternative to make it vegan-friendly.

Can I substitute the applesauce with something else?

Yes, you can replace applesauce with mashed banana or additional vegetable oil, but applesauce helps keep the cake moist while reducing fat content.

Best Ever Carrot Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 107 reviews

This Best Ever Carrot Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert perfect for any occasion. Rich with warm spices and loaded with freshly grated carrots, this cake is beautifully complemented by a luscious cream cheese frosting and optional crunchy pecans. Baked to perfection, it promises a tender crumb and delightful taste that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Author: Elias
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet Ingredients

4 eggs
3/4 cup (175ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (130g) unsweetened applesauce
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar (break up any clumps)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups (348g) finely grated carrots

Optional Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to prepare for baking the cakes evenly.
Prepare Cake Pans: Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, then line each with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and dust it lightly with flour, shaking out the excess. If available, line pans with water-soaked cake strips for even baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until thoroughly combined to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
Blend Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together the vegetable oil, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.
Combine Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Then gently fold in the finely grated carrots to evenly distribute them throughout the batter without overmixing.
Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans to ensure consistent baking and cake size.
Bake Cakes: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 33 to 38 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean when the cakes are done.
Cool Cakes: Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
Frost and Garnish: Once cooled, frost each cake layer with the prepared cream cheese frosting. Optionally, top with chopped pecans for added texture and flavor.
Store: Store the finished cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and moisture.

Notes

Using water-soaked cake strips helps the cakes bake evenly and prevents doming.
Breaking up brown sugar clumps ensures sweeter and smoother batter.
Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
The recipe makes two 9-inch round cakes, perfect for layering.
The optional pecans add a nice crunch but can be omitted for nut-free preference.

Keywords: Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, Moist Cake, Spiced Cake, Homemade Cake