This Best Ever Carrot Cake is simple & delicious. Perfectly moist and frosted in the classic cream cheese frosting, everyone always raves about this recipe.
While I love my carrot cake fully loaded that is with raisins and walnuts or frosting in German Chocolate Cake frosting. My kids much prefer it simplified, I mean they don’t understand why adding raisins to anything makes it better. So I took my German Chocolate Carrot Cake recipe and removed the frosting, now I did add some walnuts to the outside of the cake because it adds a beautiful touch but if it were up to my kids they would leave those off too.
I was never a huge carrot cake fan until I married into the McCollum Family. Jake’s cousin, now one of my dear friend and cousin to makes the best carrot cake. She has a few tricks up her sleeve that she isn’t sharing because seriously mine never turns out as soon as hers. But she has shared her secret to make this carrot cake the best ever, carrot baby food.
Now you could really use any sort of carrot puree but friends that are what baby food is. Now if I could just find an amazing combination of chocolate cake and carrot cake, that wouldn’t mess with the flavors all too much then I would be golden. Hmmm, I may just have inspired a new recipe idea.
Anyway, to me the key to an amazing carrot cake is the cake itself, carrot cake must be moist my friends! Like there isn’t any other option. Then the type of frosting you pick and additional add-ins matters too. With this cake recipe, you could easily add in walnuts, coconut, and raisins, but for the sake of not hearing any crying at our table, I make it without raisins and coconut.
I personally love all the good toppings, which is why I prefer my carrot cake with German Chocolate Frosting with that said, I will happily just have it dressed with Cream Cheese Frosting.
How to make carrot cake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, gently spray 2 – 9 inch round baking pans with cooking oil and set aside.
- Mix all of the ingredients listed above together until smooth and there are no chunks. Pour batter into the prepared pan, making sure to divide evenly.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack until completely cooled.
How to make cream cheese frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy.
- Set in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for BEST EVER CARROT CAKE to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Best Ever Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 32 ounces carrot baby food or 1 3/4 cup carrot puree. I use the baby food everytime
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, gently spray 2 – 9 inch round baking pans with cooking oil and set aside.
- Mix all of the ingredients listed above together until smooth and there are no chunks. Pour batter into the prepared pan, making sure to divide evenly.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack until completely cooled.
- While cake is cooling prepare frostings. Make German Chocolate Cake Frosting first, so that it has time to cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Set in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cake Assemble
- Once cakes are completely cool, remove from pans. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand or serving plate.
- Top with cream cheese frosting. Top with the second cake, I place the cake in the fridge for 5 minutes so the middle layer can set and be a little firm.
- Frost the outside of the cake with the remainder of the frosting. Press walnuts on the sides of the cake if desired.Place in the fridge and remove the cake 30 minutes before serving and bring to room temperature. If serving soon after frosting you are fine to leave out.
Save
I’ve never made carrot cake before but decided to make this recipe as I had an overabundance of carrots and homemade applesauce. Will for sure make it again! Thanks!
I’m so glad you liked it!