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Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 85 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This perfect carrot cake recipe features moist, finely grated organic carrots combined with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, creating a wonderfully flavorful and textured cake. It’s baked to perfection and layered with creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting, then beautifully decorated with colorful piped carrot designs and walnuts for a festive finish. Ideal for celebrations or any occasion that calls for a classic yet impressive homemade dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Carrot Cake

  • 2 1/2 cups (250g) peeled and finely grated organic carrots
  • 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour, spooned into cups then leveled
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp clove
  • 1 cup (225g) vegetable or canola oil (olive oil can also work)
  • 3/4 cup (165g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (190g) sour cream or full fat Greek yogurt

Decoration

  • Orange gel food coloring
  • Green gel food coloring
  • Brown gel food coloring
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Carrots: Wash, peel, and finely grate your carrots using the small holes on a box grater until they resemble finely shredded cheese. Measure out 2 1/2 cups loosely packed and set aside.
  2. Preheat & Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 6-inch round cake pans or two to three 8-inch round pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper circles and wrap with dampened cake sleeves if available to help even baking.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove until well combined. Set aside.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the vegetable or canola oil with both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated.
  5. Add Carrots and Sour Cream: Stir in the grated carrots and sour cream (or Greek yogurt) until evenly distributed throughout the wet mixture.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined and avoiding overmixing to keep the cake tender.
  7. Divide Batter & Bake: Evenly distribute the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake 35-40 minutes for 6-inch pans or 30-35 minutes for 8-inch pans, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool Cakes: Remove from oven and let cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator for faster cooling.
  9. Optional Storage: If preparing a day in advance, once completely cooled, wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight to maintain freshness.
  10. Make Cream Cheese Frosting: While cakes chill, prepare your cream cheese frosting. If the frosting is too thin, refrigerate it for about an hour to thicken before assembly.
  11. Level and Layer Cakes: Level the tops of each cake layer using a cake leveler or serrated knife. Spread a thin, even layer of frosting between each cake layer to stack them evenly.
  12. Crumb Coat: Apply a very thin layer of frosting around the outside of the assembled cake to seal in crumbs and chill for 20 minutes to set this crumb coat.
  13. Frost the Cake: After chilling, spread a thick and smooth layer of frosting over the entire cake for a clean finish. Smooth the frosting evenly using an offset spatula or palette knife.
  14. Prepare Colored Frostings: Divide a small amount of remaining frosting into two bowls. Add green gel food coloring and a tiny smear of brown gel to one bowl for carrot tops. Add orange gel food coloring and a tiny smear of brown gel to the other bowl for carrot bodies.
  15. Pipe Decorations: Transfer each colored frosting into piping bags fitted with small round tips. Pipe tiny carrot shapes around the outside of the cake followed by green carrot stalks. Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over the top and sides.
  16. Final Chill & Serve: Chill the decorated cake for at least one hour to set the frosting decorations. Once set, slice and enjoy your perfect carrot cake!

Notes

  • Using organic carrots and full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt adds depth of flavor and moisture.
  • Wrapping cake pans with damp cake sleeves helps baking be more even and prevents domed tops.
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and tender.
  • The gel food coloring makes vibrant frosting colors without thinning the frosting as liquid food coloring would.
  • Chilling the frosting helps it achieve better piping consistency and stability.
  • Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
  • This recipe can be made a day ahead; store layers wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, moist carrot cake, holiday cake, layered cake, homemade carrot cake

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Find it online: https://cooklilan.com/perfect-carrot-cake-recipe/