Carrot Cake

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4.88 from 8 votes

A deliciously moist classic carrot cake with silky smooth cream cheese icing.

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

cooling30

Total Time1 45

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, carrot cake, dessert

Servings:

Calories: 952kcal

Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (226g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ¼ cups light brown sugar lightly packed (282g)
¾ cup vegetable oil (6oz)
3 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ⅔ cups shredded carrots about 5 large (use the large holes of a box grater to shred)
⅔ cups dried currants

For the frosting:

20 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (282g or 1 ¼ cups)
½ cup buttermilk powder found with regular powdered milk in the grocery store
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces cream cheese chilled and cut into 16 equal pieces
3 ¾ cups powdered sugar (430g)
2 ½ cups chopped pecans toasted

Instructions

To prepare the cake batter:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 17×12 inch rimmed baking sheet. Line the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment lightly. Set aside.
Cut a 6 by 8-inch rectangle out of a cardboard cake round and set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves until blended. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla together. Be sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Fold in the carrots and currants with a spatula. Add the flour mixture and fold together just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and smooth with an off-set spatula until even. Bake for 15-16 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then invert onto a wire rack (do not remove the parchment paper) and then invert again on another wire rack so the parchment side is down and the cake is up. Cool completely.

To prepare the frosting:

Combine butter, buttermilk powder, vanilla and salt on low speed of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend about 2 minutes scraping down the sides and bottom as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese 1 piece at a time. This can be done by adding a piece every 15 seconds or so until all cream cheese is incorporated. Beat another two minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and blend until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend again.

To assemble the cake:

Place the cake on a large cutting board (parchment side down) and cut the cake in half crosswise and then in half lengthwise to make 4 equal rectangles, each 6 by 8 inches. Place one cake rectangle, parchment side up, on the cardboard. Remove the parchment paper. Spread a heaping ⅔ cup of frosting on the first cake layer. Repeat with two more layers, frosting each with a heaping ⅔ cup of frosting. Press gently on each layer to keep the cake level. Place the last layer on top and spread a thin layer of frosting or 1 heaping cup if you choose not to pipe additional frosting on top. Frost the sides of the cake. Hold the cake in one hand and gently press the chopped pecans onto the sides with your other hand. Pipe frosting on top using a large star tip.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition