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Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This classic carrot cake is nicely spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with lavish swirls of cream cheese frosting.
When my kids were babies, I started a small baking business specializing in cakes and cupcakes, mostly for children’s birthday parties. Before I opened, I spent weeks testing recipes for all of the classic cake flavors. This is the carrot cake that won me over. It is perfectly spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with a luscious, not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting.
Unlike most carrot cakes, which are heavy and dense, this one is light with a fine texture. The secret, which I learned from Fine Cooking Magazine, is finely chopping the carrots in a food processor to the consistency of couscous rather than grating them.
For more classic cake recipes, check out my Vanilla Birthday Cake, Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and the Chocolate Lover’s Birthday cake in my cookbook.
What You’ll Need To Make Carrot Cake
How to make Carrot Cake
Begin by soaking the currants in hot water to plump them up, then drain.
Combine the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Whisk to blend.
Add 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to the drained currants and nuts.
Toss well; coating the currants and nuts with flour will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Next, add the carrots to a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Process until finely chopped to the consistency of couscous.
Transfer the carrots to a bowl and wipe the processor bowl clean. Add the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
Process until smooth.
With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.
Add the carrots, currants and nuts.
The batter will look very orange!
Transfer the batter to a greased and floured 9×13-in cake pan.
Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
How to make Cream Cheese frosting
While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting. Combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar.
Once all of the confectioners’ sugar is added, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Use an offset spatula to frost the cake.
Sprinkle nuts on top, if desired, and serve the cake directly from the pan.
Note: This cake can also be made as a 9-inch layer cake. You’ll have enough frosting for the middle and top of the cake; just leave the sides bare — it’s pretty that way.
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Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This classic carrot cake is nicely spiced, ultra-moist, and topped with lavish swirls of cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2-1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with knife
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch heavy-duty metal cake pan, or spray the pan with a nonstick cooking spray with flour, like Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour.
- Soak the currants in 1/2 cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Transfer 1/4 cup of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and the chopped nuts; toss to combine.
- In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the carrots until very finely chopped, to about the consistency of couscous. Transfer to a small bowl, then rinse out the food processor bowl (you’ll use it again).
- In the bowl of the food processor (again, fitted with the steel blade), mix the eggs and sugars until blended. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined, then stir in the carrots and the currant-nut mixture.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting over the cooled cake, swirling artistically. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the cake, if using, and serve the cake straight from the pan.
- Note: This cake can also be made as a 9-inch layer cake. You'll have enough frosting for the middle and top of the cake; just leave the sides bare -- it's pretty that way.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the icing) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw on the countertop the night before you plan to eat it. Ice the cake prior to serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Calories: 401
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Reviews & Comments
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Hi Jenn, question about the frosting. How long would it last in the refrigerator once prepared and could it be frozen? I’d like to bake the batter up as cupcakes – and pace ourselves as we eat through them. Love, love, love your recipes and helpful hints. Can’t wait for your new cookbook!! Thanks from Canada.
So glad you like the recipes, Liz! The frosting should last nicely in the fridge for up to a week. I don’t think it would freeze well though.
Hi jenn
For cupcakes is going to be the same temperature?
What about cooking time?
Hi Fanny, the oven temperature can stay the same; you’ll just need to adjust the baking time. They should take 20 to 25 minutes. Enjoy!
Best tasting carrot cake by far with delicious icing!
Hi. I made this over the weekend…first time I’ve baked it in over a year…and oh my wow…so good. I only had three eggs so decided to use a cup of crushed pineapple to make up for the last egg …and oh my the cake came out so moist, and delicious! I also used a potpourri of nuts and finely chopped them in my food processor with the cream cheese and again turned out amazing! My finicky brother in law could not stop eating the cake or the frosting and announcing how amazing this carrot cake is!
Thank you for your amazing recipe! Such a godsend to use for left over carrots!
Thank you Jen for another baking success. Made this for work colleagues & they all echoed it was THE BEST CARROT CAKE EVER!!
I love baking with your recipes but it is an absolute joy to listen to people compliment your recipes.
Many thanks for all your fantastic baking ideas.
Hi Jen! Would it affect the recipe if I left out the nuts? Nut allergies in this household.
Thanks!
No, it’s perfectly fine to leave out the nuts. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hello 🙂
I tried out the cake and just took it out of the oven to check it – been in with 180 C for 40 minutes. The cake had risen a lot from the middle looking a bit like a pyramid and it unfortunately failed the toothpick test – it came back gooey.
Any ideas why it might have risen in the middle and why it could be gooey after so long in the oven?
Put it back in for 20 minutes and hoping for the best 🙈
Hi P, Sorry you had a problem with the timing on this! Did you use a 9×13-inch baking dish? How did the cake come out?
This is delicious and moist. I substituted the following: used Cup4Cup flour(gluten free) and raisin. I reduced the amount of sugar as well. This turned out incredible with all the modifications I made.
This carrot cake was soooo moist and flavorful, I loved all the spices added! The cream cheese frosting was also delicious. I made this into 2 circle pans and it worked out great!
Hi Jenn
Could i use grape seed oil instead of vegetable oil?
Thanks so much
Sure. Hope you enjoy!
I love this carrot cake recipe we make it every year for Easter
It’s the best one we have tried over the years and super easy to make
Super moist and frosting is just right
Have printed and laminated this recipe as it’s truly the tastiest one we have tried
Thank you for sharing your great recipes with us all
Hi Jenn, My family is not a fan of fruit baked in cakes. Can I omit the currants? Will it dry out the cake if I do?
Thanks,
Kelly
Hi Kelly, It’s fine to omit the currants — the cake will still be plenty moist. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn¡
For this recipe how many cupcakes could be?
I want to make for easter.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe ❤the best carrot cake¡ 🥕🥕🥕🤗
Hi Fanny, Glad you like it! It should make 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Do you have an idea of (1) the ease of your recipe made into a round cake and (2) how many times to do the cake for 2 10″ layers?
Thanks so much for getting back to me (in advance).
Hi Lynn, I think you’ll need to make 1.5 times the recipe. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Super moist and delicious carrot cake. We don’t like raisins/currants in any cake, but we love coconut. I added about 1/2-3/4 cup coconut to the batter and the frosting. I used pecans in the cake. Since my husband and I couldn’t possibly eat all this we shared with neighbors. Everyone loved it! Truly delicious!
Hello Jenn,
Can use grapeseed oil as a substitute for the vegetable oil?
Sure – enjoy!
I made this cake the other day for my daughter. It was a huge hit! The cake was perfectly moist and well balanced with the cream cheese frosting. This will be my go-to carrot cake recipe from now on!
OMG! Best carrot cake I’ve ever made. We don’t like currants so I left them out. We love coconut so I added a cup of unsweetened coconut to the batter and some to the frosting. We shared with our neighbors (it’s a huge cake!) and also got 5 stars.❤️