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The Best Carrot Cake

The Best Carrot Cake

This recipe is for the best carrot cake you will ever make! Two layers of soft, fluffy and moist carrot cake, with a rich cream cheese frosting. Sprinkled with chopped pecans. Yum!
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For The Cake
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups finely grated carrots
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
For The Frosting
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, soft
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, soft
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

Make Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In the bowl of stand mixer, or handheld mixer using paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until well combined. Increase to high speed and whip for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
  3. Transfer frosting to fridge and let chill, while you make and bake the carrot cake.
Make Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Butter two 9" round cake pans. You can also line them with parchment paper.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, using handheld mixer, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
  4. Add vegetable oil, applesauce, eggs, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Mix until everything is well combined.
  5. Add in grated carrots and mix just until evenly distributed.
  6. Divide mixture evenly into 2 prepared cake pans.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
  8. Allow cakes to cool completely before removing from pans and frosting.
  9. Once cakes are cooled, frost cakes and finish with crushed pecans on top, and on the bottom sides.
  10. Store cake in airtight container in refrigerator.
  11. Enjoy!