Best Carrot Cake Recipe
About this recipe
This Best Carrot Cake Recipe is all about that perfect balance of moistness, warm spices, and a rich cream cheese frosting. With freshly grated carrots and toasted pecans, this cake is sure to be a hit at any gathering. John Kanell from Preppy Kitchen shares his easy take on this classic dessert, ensuring that every bite is packed with flavor and texture.
The combination of granulated and brown sugars adds depth to the sweetness, while the mix of spices brings warmth and complexity. Plus, the use of vegetable oil keeps the cake incredibly moist, making it a delightful treat that lasts for days.
Ingredient notes
- Use 3/4 teaspoon of salt if using iodized salt.
- If you prefer, you can substitute pecans with walnuts or skip the nuts entirely.
Tips from Preppy Kitchen’s video
- Be careful not to overmix the batter after combining wet and dry ingredients; mix until just combined with streaks of flour still visible.
- For even baking, divide the batter equally between the two cake pans, and consider weighing them for consistency.
Good to know
- What can go wrong when making carrot cake?
- Using too much flour by packing it into the measuring cup can lead to a dense cake. It's best to fluff the flour before measuring.
- How long do I bake the cake?
- Bake the cakes in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Preppy Kitchen: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
Peel and grate enough carrots to yield about 3 cups of grated carrots.
- 3
Chop 1 cup of pecans and toast them in the oven for 4 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
- 4
In a large bowl, combine 2.5 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 0.5 teaspoon of ground cardamom, 0.5 teaspoon of allspice, and 0.25 teaspoon of ground cloves. Whisk together.
- 5
In another bowl, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of light brown sugar, 1.33 cups of vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until smooth.
- 6
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- 7
Fold in the grated carrots and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
- 8
Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 9
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
- 10
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 11
While the cakes are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating together 1 cup of cream cheese, 0.5 cup of butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- 12
Once the cakes are done, let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 13
Frost the cooled cakes with the cream cheese frosting and enjoy.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity of grated carrots is inferred from the instruction to yield about 3 cups after peeling and grating.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Preppy Kitchen’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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