Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist and tender cake with hints of cinnamon throughout and topped with a creamy, tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. Heaven on a plate!

Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect dessert for your Easter table. My cousin Donna gave me the recipe for this cake years ago and I’ve been making it ever since. It’s so moist and delicious!

What I love most about this cake is that you add everything to one bowl, mix and pour into the cake pans. It’s a very old-fashioned way to make a cake and I just love that. I am all about that vintage lifestyle.

The cream cheese frosting in this recipe is one that I love to make for so many different flavors of cake. But we all know cream cheese frosting is perfect for carrot cake. This frosting recipe isn’t on the “too sweet” side and everyone loves it.

Let’s talk about what you’re going to need to make this amazing cake and frosting!

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 large (216g) carrots, grated
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (396g) sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (297g) vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (119g) pecans or walnuts, plus 1/4 cup (28g) for garnish (I do not add nuts to my cake. I only use 1/4 cup to garnish.)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup butter (226g), softened
• 16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, softened
• 5 cups (565g) powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cake

Step 1. Grate the carrots and set aside.

Step 2. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and set aside. (I like to grease the bottom of the pan, add a parchment circle, grease entire pan and then flour. It’s a sure way that your cake will not stick to the pan.)

You can also use a 9×13-inch glass or metal baking dish/pan. Just grease and flour the same way. This recipe will also make 24 cupcakes.

Step 3. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Step 4. Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

Step 5. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, except the nuts if you are adding them, and beat with a large spoon or fork until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (You can use an electric mixer for this, but I find it easier to just mix by hand.)

Step 6. Fold in the nuts, if you are adding them.

Step 7. Pour batter evenly into cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. I usually start checking the cake after 25 minutes. (If you are using a 9 x 13-inch pan, bake the cake for 40-45 minutes. For cupcakes, 15-20 minutes.)

Step 8. Remove cakes from oven and cool on a cooling grid for 10 minutes.

Step 9. Loosen cakes from the edges of the pans and turn out onto paper towels on the wire rack. (The paper towels just peel off of the cake and it does not stick to the cooling grid.) Cool for 1 hour or more until room temperature.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1. Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 2. Add powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 3. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Step 4. Spread a small amount of frosting on your cake plate or stand. Place one of the cake rounds on the plate.

Step 5. Frost the top of the cake round and then place the second cake round on top of the frosted cake.

Step 6. Frost the top and sides of the stacked cake.

Step 7. Garnish with chopped nuts.

Step 8. Cut and serve!

Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist and tender cake with hints of cinnamon throughout and topped with a creamy, tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. Heaven on a plate!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Cooling time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 916 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 3 large (216g) carrots, grated
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (396g) sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (297g) vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (114g) chopped pecans or walnuts, optional I do not add nuts to my cake batter, but feel free to do so.
• 1/4 cup (28g) chopped pecans or walnuts, for garnish

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 cup (226g) butter, softened
• 16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, softened
• 5 cups (565g) powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

 

For the cake

• Grate the carrots and set aside.
• Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and set aside. (I like to grease the bottom of the pan, add a parchment circle, grease entire pan and then flour. It's a sure way that your cake will not stick to the pan.)

  (You can also use a 9×13-inch glass or metal baking dish/pan. Just grease and flour the same way. This recipe will also make 24 cupcakes.)
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
• Add all of the rest of the ingredients, except the nuts if you are adding them, and beat with a large spoon or fork until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (You can use an electric mixer for this, but I find it easier to just mix by hand.)
• Fold in the nuts, if you are adding them.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. I usually start checking the cake after 25 minutes. (If you are using a 9 x 13-inch pan, bake the cake for 40-45 minutes. For cupcakes, 15-20 minutes.)
• Remove cakes from oven and cool on a cooling grid for 10 minutes.
• Loosen cakes from the edges of the pans and turn out onto paper towels on the wire rack. (The paper towels just peel off of the cake and do not stick to the cooling grid.) Cool for 1 hour or more until room temperature.

For the cream cheese frosting

• Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• Spread a small amount of frosting on your cake plate or stand. Place one of the cake rounds on the plate.
• Frost the top of the cake round and then place the second cake round on top of the frosted cake.
• Frost the top and sides of the stacked cake.
• Garnish with chopped nuts.
• Cut and serve!

Notes

Unfrosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 2 days if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Frosted cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

 

Unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and placed in an airtight container or freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months and frosted cake for 1 month.

Keyword Carrot Cake, Carrots, Cream Cheese Frosting, Cream Cheese Icing, Dessert, Easter, Easter Cake, Easter Desserts, From Scratch Carrot Cake, Frosting, Icing

I am so looking forward to Easter so I can make this cake for our dessert. But don’t just make it for Easter. If you’re having a craving for some carrot cake, you can certainly make this recipe any time of the year.

Also, please let me know in the comments below if you try it!

Sweet regards,

Michele

For more Easter recipes, visit my Easter page!

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