Carrot Cake

Name: Carrot Cake
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups All-purpose Flour; 2 cups Granulated Sugar; 1 1/4 cups Vegetable Oil; 4 large Eggs; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; 2 tsp Baking Soda; 2 tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 tsp Salt, fine; 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 3 cups Carrots, grated; 1 cups Walnuts, chopped, or Pecans; 16oz Cream Cheese, softened; 1/2 cups Butter, unsalted, softened; 4 cups Powdered Sugar; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/2 cups Walnuts, chopped, or Pecans; 0 pinch of Salt, fine

This classic carrot cake is tender and warmly spiced, studded with crunchy walnuts and finished with a silky cream cheese frosting. It's an easy, comforting dessert that slices beautifully for celebrations or a cozy afternoon treat.

This classic carrot cake is tender and warmly spiced, studded with crunchy walnuts and finished with a silky cream cheese frosting... Show more

Traditional American Recipe

Health Grade

E · Indulgent

Rating

4.3

Time

2 hrs

Price

1,10 €

Calories

926 kcal

vegetarian

kid friendly

comfort food

potluck

Method

Preheat the oven

Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment so the layers release cleanly after baking.

Prep the add-ins

Wash, peel, and grate Carrots until you have about 3 cups. Chop the Walnuts, keeping about 1/2 cup aside for garnish and using the rest in the batter. Set the Cream Cheese and Butter out to soften for the frosting while you keep going.

Whisk the dry mix

In a large bowl, whisk together All-purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt (fine), and Ground Cinnamon until everything looks evenly combined.

Mix the wet ingredients

In another bowl, whisk Eggs with Granulated Sugar until the mixture looks smooth and a little thickened, then whisk in Vegetable Oil and Vanilla Extract until glossy.

Combine the batter

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and fold gently just until you no longer see dry flour. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped walnuts until the batter is evenly speckled, but stop as soon as everything is combined.

Bake the layers

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and tap each pan once on the counter to pop any big air bubbles. Bake for 30–35 minutes at 350° F until the centers spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool completely

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn them onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, and cool completely for about 30 minutes before frosting.

Make the frosting

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, then add Powdered Sugar in a few additions along with the remaining Vanilla Extract. Beat until the frosting is creamy, thick, and easy to spread.

Frost and finish

Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, spread on a thick layer of frosting, top with the second layer, and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle the reserved chopped walnuts over the top if you want a little extra crunch.