5.0 from 51 votes
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
The Best Carrot Cake Recipe. A moist, tender carrot cake with sweet cream cheese frosting. The perfect carrot cake recipe!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 16
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
French
Ingredients
- 2 cups canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 lbs. carrots (peeled and finely grated)
- 3/4 cup Chopped Pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- (1) ounce pkg. cream cheese (softened)
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or scraped vanilla bean)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in grated carrots and pecans (if using). If you would like to add raisins, add 3/4 cup.
- Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Use two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans. It can also make three 9-inch cake layers, although the layers will be thinner. Divide cake batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake 9-inch cake layers for 28-34 minutes. Bake three 8-inch cake layers for 22-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To help with frosting the cake, place the cake layers in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Whip softened butter and cream cheese for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 1-2 minutes longer. Frost the cake layers with cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- *Recipe adapted from Duff Bakes Cookbook
- To decorate the carrot cake, you may want to 1 1/2 times the cream cheese frosting recipe.