Carrot Cake Recipe
Spicy, moist, soft and delicious, this Carrot Cake Recipe with thick cream cheese frosting will become your go-to favorite cake!
Servings 14 servings
Calories 542kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil/melted butter
- 3 cups grated carrot
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2-8 or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper and set aside.
- Measure milk and stir in white vinegar. Stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, measure out all dry ingredients and whisk together to combine. Create well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk vinegar mixture, oil, and vanilla. Stir until just incorporated. Add in carrot and stir again.
- Divide evenly between baking pans and smooth the tops. Bake 20-25 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool until pans are just warm. Invert cakes onto cooling racks, remove parchment paper and cool completely.
- Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until completely combined, thick and smooth. Scrape the sides and stir again briefly to ensure a smooth frosting.
- Place one cake onto a cake plate or serving platter. Spread about 1 1/2 cup of frosting onto the cake evenly (doesn’t have to be exact) being sure to push frosting right to the edges of the cake. Top with the other cake round. With the remaining frosting, frost the cake exterior. This can be done with simple tools like the back of a spoon or butter knife or an offset spatula.Decorate with anything from chopped pecans, coconut shreds, sprinkles, or even colored frosting in the shape of carrots.
Notes
- Buttermilk: Milk and vinegar mixture can be replaced with 2 cups of buttermilk.
- No Eggs: There are no eggs in this recipe! It’s not a typo and yes, they will turn out just fine.
- 9×13 Inch Cake: Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.
- Two 8-inch Round Cakes: Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
- Crushed pineapple: Reduce the milk and vinegar mixture by 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup extra flour to the batter. Drain one 8 oz can of crushed pineapple. Stir in with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.
- Pecans: Stir in 3/4 cup of toasted and chopped pecans into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual. Walnuts or almonds are also a good substitution.
- Coconut: Stir in 1 1/2 cups sweetened, desiccated coconut into the batter with the grated carrot. Bake, cool, and frost as usual.
Nutrition
Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 5060IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg