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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.

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

  1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to prepare for baking the cakes evenly.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans to ensure consistent baking and cake size.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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

Find it online: https://tastygenius.com/best-ever-carrot-cake-recipe/