Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake Recipe
Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake Recipe: A simple and moist recipe from scratch with a cream cheese buttercream frosting that will soon become a favorite!
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 1547kcal
Equipment
- 3 8-inch round cake pans
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- kitchen scale for dividing the batter equally
- box grater or food processor
- rubber spatula
- Whisk
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- cooling racks
- toothpicks or cake tester
- cake leveler or serrated knife (to level layers, if needed)
- offset spatula for frosting the cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 cups white all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1⅓ cups vegetable oil
- 2½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups carrots finely grated
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream:
- 12 ounces cream cheese 1½ blocks - room temperature
- 1½ cups unsalted butter softened (3 sticks)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream plus more, if needed
For the Garnish
- ½ cup pecans chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by lightly spraying each with cooking spray, then line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon table salt.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and 2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.
- Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 3 cups of grated carrots with a spatula, ensuring they are blended into the batter.
- Evenly divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans. Bake at 325°F for 30 - 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting (about 50 minutes).
How to Make the Frosting
- To make the frosting, beat 12 ounces of cream cheese and 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy. Ensure there are no lumps in the cream cheese butter mixture. Gradually mix in 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, followed by 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and beat until light and creamy. If the frosting is too thick to spread, add another tablespoon of heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand. Spread the frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the second and third layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake evenly. If desired, put the remaining frosting into a piping bag with a tip and pipe around the top edges of the cake.
Garnish with Pecans, optional
- If you prefer, gently press some chopped pecans around the bottom edge of the cake, then sprinkle a little more over the top for a fancy finish. Slice and ENJOY every bite!
Video
Notes
I’ve updated this carrot cake recipe due to the first carrot cake recipe having mixed reviews, with most saying the cake was sinking. However, if you had success with the cake, and prefer the old, I’ve provided the old cake recipe just above the recipe card in the post.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 1547kcal | Carbohydrates: 170g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 94g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 399mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 128g | Vitamin A: 9823IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 4mg
