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Moist Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

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A moist, tender carrot cake with subtle spices and a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (180ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots (about 4–5 medium carrots)
  • ½ cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan with butter or non-stick spray and line with parchment paper if desired. Grate carrots finely and drain pineapple if using.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Gently fold grated carrots and pineapple into the wet mixture until just combined.
  5. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until flour disappears; do not overmix.
  6. Fold in nuts if using.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in lemon juice if desired. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
  10. Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake. Chill frosting if too soft before spreading.

Notes

Grate carrots finely for moist texture. Do not overmix batter to avoid toughness. Cool cake completely before frosting to prevent melting. Frosting can be chilled if too soft. Cake flavors improve after resting overnight. For gluten-free, use 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend and xanthan gum. For vegan, use flax eggs, coconut oil, and vegan cream cheese and butter substitutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, moist carrot cake, easy carrot cake, homemade dessert, simple cake recipe

Find it online: https://tempotaste.com/moist-homemade-carrot-cake-recipe-with-easy-cream-cheese-frosting/