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