Moist and perfectly spiced, this carrot layer cake with cream cheese frosting is the perfect bake for any springtime celebration!
When I think of carrot cake, I think of one of my husband’s childhood friends. According to childhood lore, he used to request carrot cake at his birthday parties, which, not surprisingly, was not a hit with the rest of the 7-year-olds. My husband to this day remembers the vast disappointment of attending a birthday party at the batting cages, expecting something mainstream like chocolate or vanilla cake, yet getting served a slice of cake studded with vegetables and raisins. The trauma of it all.
But in reality, I think my husband’s friend (who by the way is still one of our close friends) was demonstrating superb taste. A mature palette, if you will. Because carrot cake is the bomb. It’s the cake that has it all: it’s soft, moist, full of flavor, has all sorts of great texture, AND is covered in cream cheese frosting. Honestly I think more birthday parties should serve carrot cake.
So let’s talk about my carrot layer cake with cream cheese frosting. Even though there are so many working parts- freshly grated carrots, lots of warm spices, toasted pecans, raisins, crushed pineapple- it all comes together into one seamless, balanced flavor profile. It’s sweet, warm, nutty, and then is finished off with that hint of twang from the cream cheese frosting. Oh and the cream cheese frosting is creamy, dreamy, velvety, and just sublime. It’s super soft and moist, but sturdy enough to assemble into a show stopping three-layer cake. It’s a no-brainer for any springtime celebration. Or birthday party, for that matter.
What you’ll need to bake this carrot cake:
Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil ensures that this carrot cake stays soft and moist for several days after baking.
Sugar: For sweetness and a tender crumb.
Vanilla: For added flavor.
Eggs: For binding and structure.
Flour: For structure.
Baking powder & baking soda: For leavening.
Kosher salt: For balance. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & cloves: Warm spices complement the flavor of the sweet carrots and make this cake extra comforting.
Raisins: For added flavor and texture.
Crushed pineapple: Not all carrot cake recipes call for crushed pineapple, but I absolutely love it! The acidity from the pineapple balances out the sweetness of the carrots and sugar, and the natural sugar from the pineapple makes the cake extra moist and tender.
Carrots: Because this is a carrot cake after all! Carrots lend flavor, moisture, and texture to this cake.Be sure to use freshly grated carrots! The pre-shredded carrots you can buy at the store are too dry and won’t lend the same moisture to the cake.
Chopped pecans: For added flavor and texture. Toasting the pecans before incorporating into the cake batter adds another layer of flavor to the cake!
Butter, cream cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and kosher salt for the cream cheese frosting.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Can I make any substitutes for the raisins and pecans? Sure! Feel free to substitute golden raisins and/or walnuts in this cake. You can also omit the raisins and nuts altogether if you prefer.
A few notes before you bake:
This cake can be made ahead of time! See my notes below the recipe for make ahead instructions.
A quick tip on getting even layers: Weigh the empty mixing bowl before mixing up your batter & write it down. Once you’ve made the batter, weigh the mixing bowl again. Now do a little math: (Weight of the bowl with the batter) – (weight of the empty bowl)= (weight of the batter). Now you can take the weight of your batter and divide it by your number of cake pans, which gives you the exact weight of batter to pour into each cake pan. Voila! Even layers.
A few notes on getting super smooth cream cheese frosting. To avoid a lumpy cream cheese frosting, be sure that you allow adequate time for the butter and cream cheese to get to a very soft consistency. This makes creaming the two together easier and allows them to come together in a smooth, velvety mixture (sans lumps!).
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Carrot Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus cooling time and assembly)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2-3 hours
- Yield: 1, 9″ three-layer cake 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Moist and perfectly spiced, this carrot layer cake with cream cheese frosting is the perfect bake for any springtime celebration!
Ingredients
For the carrot cake:
- 224 gm (2 cups) chopped pecans
- 224 gm (1 cup) vegetable oil
- 400 gm (2 cups) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 375 gm (3 cups, spoon & leveled) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 120 gm (3/4 cup) raisins
- 183 gm (3/4 cup) crushed pineapple, drained
- 326 gm (3 cups, about 3–4 large) finely grated carrots*
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, very soft
- 16 oz cream cheese, very soft
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 600 gm (5 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
To make the carrot cake:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread chopped pecans into an even layer and bake for 8 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Spray three 9″ cake pans with baking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, being sure that each is incorporated before adding the next.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground spices. Add the raisins to the flour mixture and stir together until all the raisins are coated.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter in 2 additions, beating on low speed until ingredients are just combined. The batter will be thick. Add in the crushed pineapple, grated carrots, and 112 gm (1 cup) of the toasted pecans and gently fold in by hand using a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans (I like to do this by weight, see my notes). Bake for 25- 35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and kosher salt. Mix together on low speed until ingredients are roughly combined, then gradually increase mixer to high speed and continue to beat for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Reduce mixer to low speed and mix for 30 seconds to remove any excess air.
Assembly:
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before stacking and frosting.
- Place a small dollop of cream cheese frosting on the center of a cake turntable or cake stand. Place the bottom cake layer over the dollop of frosting and press gently to secure to the surface.
- Next, spoon about 1 cup of frosting onto the bottom layer and smooth into an even layer using an offset spatula. Carefully place the next cake layer on top and gently press to adhere the two layers together. Repeat this process with the third cake layer.
- Apply a crumb coat. To do this, apply a thin layer of frosting to the entire cake, smoothing with an offset spatula. Place the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This makes applying the final layer of frosting easier.
- Remove the cake from the fridge. Apple a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake using an offset spatula or icing smoother. Finish by decorating with the remaining 112 gm (1 cup) toasted pecans.
Notes
*Grated carrots: Be sure to use freshly grated carrots! The pre-shredded carrots you can buy at the store are too dry and won’t lend the same moisture to the cake.
Make ahead instructions: Prepare cake layers as directed and allow to cool completely. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Layers can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge for 1 day before assembling and serving.
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
