The Best Moist Carrot Cake Recipe
User Reviews
5
The Best Moist Carrot Cake Recipe
Description
This carrot cake starts with a batter made by mixing sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla, then adding grated carrots and crushed pineapple with their juice for moisture and natural sweetness. The dry ingredients include all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, with optional raisins tossed in to add chewy bursts. The wet and dry mixtures are combined carefully to avoid overmixing for a tender crumb.
The batter is split between two 9-inch cake pans and baked until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter. As the cake bakes, a sweet orange glaze is prepared by slowly heating orange juice, sugar, and butter until well combined, providing a citrusy topping. The final assembly is finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting that adds richness and cuts through the spiced cake flavors.
This layered cake brings moistness from pineapple and carrots and balanced sweetness from the glaze and frosting. It can be served sliced with the frosting and glaze complementing the dense, spiced interior. The optional raisins can be swapped with chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for alternate textures and flavors.
The recipe suggests substituting nuts for raisins if desired, and the glaze and frosting components should be prepared while the cake bakes to streamline the process. Proper mixing and doneness testing ensure a moist but cooked-through result.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups carrot grated
- 1 (8 oz.) can pineapple crushed
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup raisins -optional*
Sweet Orange Glaze
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz. (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese -room temperature
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter room temperature, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Prepare the cake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Liberally grease the sides of the pans with butter.
- Add the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the carrots and crushed pineapple (with its juice). Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add the raisins to the flour mixture. Stir until coated with flour.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined and no dry flour remains, trying not to over mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans.
- Bake for 37-40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out with moist crumbs, but no raw batter on it.
As the cake bakes, make the Sweet Orange Glaze.
- Add the orange juice, sugar, and butter to a medium sauce pot and place it over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the butter melts, sugar dissolves, and the liquid bubbles for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle the hot orange glaze evenly over the hot cakes.
- Cool the cakes in the cake pans for 1 hour. Remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese, butter, and vanilla to a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until well mixed. One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar. Mix on low until well combined. Repeat with the remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low to medium until well combined and the frosting is light and creamy.
- Place one of the cakes on a cake serving plate. Spread the top of the cake with a thick layer of icing, using about 1/3 of the icing. Place the second cake layer on top. Generously spread icing over the top and sides of the cake.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving for best results, or a minimum of 2 hours.
Notes
- Chopped walnuts or pecans can replace raisins if preferred, or you can use half raisins and half nuts for variety.
- The glaze adds a bright citrus flavor that complements the spiced carrot cake well.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 543 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/16th of the recipe | |
| Calories | 543kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 87g | 29% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 90mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 384mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 247mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 63g | 126% |
| Vitamin A | 4035IU | 81% |
| Vitamin C | 8.8mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 48mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1.6mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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