A deliciously simple, easy, moist, homemade spiced carrot cake with cream cheese icing! Hands down the best carrot cake I've ever had, balancing the traditional carrot flavour I grew up with, with a hint of walnut and a good smattering of cream cheese icing. This cake pairs well with a cuppa (tea or coffee - your choice).
A good friend of mine recently reminded me of a very silly story from our lives in University, which made me reminisce about the youthful folly of an 18-year-old University student. That student was me. Memories of walking across campus in the warm sun, and running across campus between classes.
One of those fond memories was of us grabbing carrot cake muffins or cupcakes to pair with a cappuccino at the tiny local on-campus coffee shop. We frequented that tiny little coffee shop quite often. In it, we studied, finished practical assignments, gossiped, and laughed over the small round tables balancing our coffees, teas and heavy textbooks.
With a wave of nostalgia, I decided I needed to up my carrot cake game - and so here is my version of a simple two-layer, easy carrot cake ever! If I do say so myself.
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What You Need for this Recipe
Equipment
This recipe requires:
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 2 x 8 inch or 20cm round cake tins
- a large mixing bowl
- spatulas, whisks
- Baking Paper
Ingredients
- Flour - plain all-purpose, standard grade flour
- Caster Sugar & Soft Brown Sugar - to give sweet
- Eggs - large eggs, at room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
- Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Mixed Spice - gives a subtle spice to the cake
- Walnuts/Pecans - this recipe contains less walnuts than most walnut carrot cakes, as I feel that anything over 50 grams of walnuts results in more of a walnut cake than a carrot cake.
- Carrots - peeled and grated
- Vegetable Oil - any neutral flavoured vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil
- Cream Cheese - Full fat cream cheese, at room temperature. Here in New Zealand I prefer the Philidelphia and Meadow Fresh cream cheese.
- Butter - at room temperature
- Icing Sugar - sifted and weighed. Top tip when needed to weigh and sift ingredients - tare the scale with the bowl and the sieve, add in the ingredient and sift away.
Substitutions/Variations
Walnuts and pecan nuts can be interchanged in this recipe. Typically in South Africa, I would have used pecans because they were generally more readily available. Here in New Zealand, I usually use walnuts because of the price point.
Mixed spice can be substituted out with ground cloves (use half the volume).
The vanilla extract in the icing can be substituted with lemon juice. This gives the icing a bit more of a tangy flavour - which I endorse.
Salt is a crucial ingredient in all baked goods. I use table salt in all my recipes. One teaspoon of table salt equals 1.5 teaspoons of Morton Kosher Salt equals 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal.
Making the Carrot Cake
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 170°C or 150°C fan assisted. Grease and line two 8 inch/20cm round cake pans. Peel and grate the carrots. Finely chop the walnuts. Set aside.
Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, finely chopped walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
Step 3 - Using a stand mixer or handheld electric whisk, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture has lightened, and at least doubled in size. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed through.
Step 4 - With the mixer running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil to allow the eggs and oil to emulsify. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add the vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds to really make sure everything is well combined.
Step 5 - Add the grated carrots, and using the paddle attachment, at a low speed fold the carrots into the mixture. Add the dry ingredients, and again, at a low speed, mix to combine. Using a silicone spatula, fold the cake batter a few times before dividing it into the two prepared cake tins (about 525 grams per cake tin). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean from the centre of the cake. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembly.
TIP - place the cool cakes in the fridge for about 30 minutes before icing. This makes sure the cakes are really cold, which will result in no icing slippage during assembly.
TIP - the cakes can be baked the day before assembly, or even frozen. Simply wrap the completely cooked cakes in cling film or plastic wrap before storing in the fridge or freezer.
Making the Cream Cheese Icing (Frosting)
Step 1 - Allow all the ingredients to come to room temperature. Beat the butter using the balloon whisk of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer until the butter has lightened in colour (approximately 2 minutes). Scrape down the side of the bowl.
Step 2 - Add the room temperature cream cheese to the butter and beat using the whisk until the butter and cream cheese are well combined. light and airy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add in the vanilla, beat for a few seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 3 - Sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps. Add in half the icing sugar and beat for about a minute until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in the rest of the icing sugar. Beat again until combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Swop over to the paddle attachment and beat at medium-high speed for an additional minute.
Assembling the Cake
Step 1 - Optional additional step. Make sure the cakes are level by trimming off any domed areas with a serrated knife or wired cake leveller.
Step 2 - Coating the layers with a crumb coat (uses just a bit less than half the icing). On a cake board or cake stand, place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese frosting in the centre of the board. Then place the first cake on the board. Place about half a cup to ⅔ of a cup of icing and spread to the edges of the cake. Then place the second layer on top of the frosting and pat down gently to secure. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, gently apply a thin layer of icing on the outside edges of the cake. Then using a bench scraper, even out the edges of the icing. Plop another half cup of icing on the top and smooth to the edge of the cake. Allow the cake to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the crumb coat to set.
Step 3 - Plop about half of the remaining icing on the top of the cake and smooth to the edges. Using the other half, smooth over the sides of the cake. Depending on the look you are going for, the icing can be completely smoothed out using a bench scraper, or you can add in swirls using the pallet knife for a rustic look. Slice and serve.
TIP - Keep the cake in the fridge until about an hour before serving, especially when the weather is warmer.
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Pro Tips for this Recipe
Oven temperature for cakes
Fan-forced or fan assisted oven temperature must be decreased by 20°C/25F. Use an oven thermometer to determine the accuracy of your oven dial.
Oven temperature plays a crucial role in determining how fast a cake will rise in the pan. When the temperature is too hot, the cake will dome in the centre. This happens because the edges of the cake bake faster than the centre, which gives the raising agents more time to have an effect in the middle of the cake.
This is not a bad thing, some single layer cakes look really cute with a slightly domed centre. But flatter layers are better when it comes to layer cakes. It simply reduces the amount of trimming (if any) when it comes to putting the cakes together.
Weighing ingredients is more accurate than using measuring cups overall, and this is my recommendation for my recipes as they are all developed and tested using grams only. However, I have activated the US customary conversions on the recipe card, these are based on generally accepted conversions. Cups are equal to 236mL/ 8 fluid ounces, tablespoons are 15mL and teaspoons are 5mL.
Measuring cups and spoons are an essential addition to every kitchen! Especially if you don't use a kitchen scale. For accurate measuring invest in a set to make sure you are adding the correct amount of ingredients. When in doubt - always use a level spoon or cup measure.
Baking Flat Cake Layers
To ensure you get layers that are as flat as possible, check the following:
- The oven temperature. Too hot an oven and you will have domed cakes. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the right temperature.
- Grease the sides of the pan to make sure the cake can rise up the walls easily.
- Use damp cake pan baking strips to keep the sides of cake tin cooler, allowing the sides to rise at a similar rate to the centre of the cake. Alternatively fold a piece of foil 4-5 times to create a strip (with the shiny side out) and wrap it around the sides of the cake tin before making your cake batter.
- Trimming the cakes is the last step in ensuring flat levels before layering. This can be done with a large serrated knife or with a wired cake leveller.
Storage and Freezing
Carrot cakes are typically stored in the fridge for up to a week. This keeps the cream cheese frosting or icing from melting in warmer temperatures.
Carrot cake layers can be frozen unfrosted, simply allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and then foil.
If freezing an entire frosted or iced carrot cake, allow it to freeze solid before wrapping it in plastic wrap and tin foil. Individual portions can also be frozen in this manner, just slice the cake before freezing!
To thaw the cake, simply let it sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Remember to remove the foil and plastic wrap before thawing a frosted cake!
Classic Carrot Cake FAQ
Carrot cakes are typically stored in the fridge for up to a week. This keeps the cream cheese frosting or icing from melting in warmer temperatures
Carrot cakes are rich moist spiced cakes usually topped with tangy cream cheese frosting or icing.
Yes. If freezing an entire frosted or iced carrot cake, allow it to freeze solid before wrapping it in plastic wrap and tin foil. Individual portions can also be frozen in this manner, just slice the cake before freezing!
Usually, pecans or walnuts are found within a carrot cake. Pecan nuts usually have a slightly sweeter taste than walnuts.
The origin of the carrot cake is often disputed and may come from England, France or Switzerland.
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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 50 grams walnuts
- 220 grams flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 250 grams grated carrot
- 3 large eggs
- 120 grams caster sugar
- 120 grams brown sugar
- 225 grams vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 90 grams butter
- 150 grams cream cheese
- 500 grams icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/340F. Grease and line two 8 inch/20cm round cake pans. Peel and grate the carrots. Finely chop the walnuts. Set aside.250 grams grated carrot, 50 grams walnuts
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, finely chopped walnuts, cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.50 grams walnuts, 220 grams flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon mixed spice, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Using a stand mixer or handheld electric whisk, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture has lightened, and at least doubled in size. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed through.3 large eggs, 120 grams caster sugar, 120 grams brown sugar
- With the mixer running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil to allow the eggs and oil to emulsify. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add the vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds to really make sure everything is well combined.225 grams vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Add the grated carrots, and using the paddle attachment, at a low speed fold the carrots into the mixture. Add the dry ingredients, and again, at a low speed, mix to combine. Using a silicone spatula, fold the cake batter a few times before dividing it into the two prepared cake tins (about 525 grams per cake tin). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean from the centre of the cake. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembly.
Cream Cheese Icing
- Allow all the ingredients to come to room temperature. Beat the butter using the balloon whisk of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer until the butter has lightened in colour (approximately 2 minutes). Scrape down the side of the bowl.90 grams butter
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to the butter and beat using the whisk until the butter and cream cheese are well combined. light and airy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add in the vanilla, beat for a few seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl.150 grams cream cheese, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps. Add in half the icing sugar and beat for about a minute until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in the rest of the icing sugar. Beat again until combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Swop over to the paddle attachment and beat at medium-high speed for an additional minute.500 grams icing sugar
Cake Assembly
- Optional additional step. Make sure the cakes are level by trimming off any domed areas with a serrated knife or wired cake leveller.
- Coating the layers with a crumb coat (uses just a bit less than half the icing). On a cake board or cake stand, place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese frosting in the centre of the board. Then place the first cake on the board. Place about half a cup to ⅔ of a cup of icing and spread to the edges of the cake. Then place the second layer on top of the frosting and pat down gently to secure. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, gently apply a thin layer of icing on the outside edges of the cake. Then using a bench scraper, even out the edges of the icing. Plop another half cup of icing on the top and smooth to the edge of the cake. Allow the cake to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the crumb coat to set.
- Plop about half of the remaining icing on the top of the cake and smooth to the edges. Using the other half, smooth over the sides of the cake. Depending on the look you are going for, the icing can be completely smoothed out using a bench
Notes
A conventional oven needs to be set at 20°C higher than a fan-forced or convection oven. For even layers, make sure the oven is at the right temperature using an oven thermometer, and wrap the outsides of the cake tin with cake baking strips or foil to ensure an even bake. Carrot cakes are typically stored in the fridge for up to a week. This keeps the cream cheese frosting or icing from melting in warmer temperatures. Carrot cake layers can be frozen unfrosted, simply allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and then foil. If freezing an entire frosted or iced carrot cake, allow it to freeze solid before wrapping it in plastic wrap and tin foil. Individual portions can also be frozen in this manner, just slice the cake before freezing!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly.
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