Ahh, carrot cake. What do I say about carrot cake? If I start expressing my love for carrot cake, this blog will never end. It’s without a doubt my favorite cake flavor in the world.
Now if you’re a carrot cake skeptic, hear me out. I was one, too.
Every time someone mentioned carrot cake I would just be like “ew, veggies in a cake? that sounds horrific”. But the first time I tried it, I was absolutely floored. I could not wrap my mind around how carrots could taste this delicious? It’s literally the comfiest, cozy, homey cake you will ever eat.
What I realized eventually was that carrot is actually a sweet ingredient. If you eat a raw carrot, you might not get any sweet tones, but cooking it really brings out its sweetness. And when you start learning about food, you realize that carrot is very commonly used in desserts across the world. Indians and Pakistanis have been eating gajar ka halwa (carrot halwa) for centuries now, and it’s one of the most delicious desi desserts.
Love carrot desserts? Try out these recipes.
Carrot cake is an absolute winner because it’s made with earthy flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar that perfectly complement the sweetness of the carrots. And anyway, anything with cinnamon is already a winner if you ask me 😂.
Now carrot cake on its own is absolutely delicious, but when combined with a light and delicious cream cheese frosting…there’s really nothing better. The saltiness of cream cheese gives the perfect contrast to the sweetness of the carrot cake and elevates it to another level.
Whenever I see carrot cake in a cafe, you know I’m ordering it! I’ve tried quite a few carrot cakes, but unfortunately, most of the time I leave disappointed. The cake is either too dry or just doesn’t have enough carrots. I seriously think some places just put cinnamon and nuts in vanilla cake and call it carrot cake 🙄. So I really wanted to have a recipe on hand that’s perfectly moist (sorry 😬) with a nice crumb and where you can actually taste the carrots. This recipe gives you exactly that. I literally never buy carrot cake from anywhere anymore because I know it won’t be as good as this one.
It even converted my husband, a former carrot cake hater, into a carrot cake lover! That really is all the approval I need.
So here’s what’s in this recipe.
Soft, spongey carrot cake layers
What I love about this is cake is that it’s insanely soft, yet holds its structure properly. It’s firm without being dry. It also has a nice golden crumb on the outside which adds texture to its soft center. This cake is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg which gives it a very comfy, winter-y flavor that everyone loves. You can always add more spices like ginger, cardamom, etc. if you like them, but I personally prefer only cinnamon and nutmeg in my carrot cake.
You can also add walnuts for some texture in the batter, I usually just add some nuts on top instead of in the cake.
Creamy, delicious, brown sugar cream cheese frosting
This is one of those frostings that I could eat a few bowls of with a spoon. No cake? No problem. It’s a delicious dessert on its own. The brown sugar complements the saltiness of the cream cheese perfectly and gives the frosting a deep, delicious flavor, unlike any cream cheese frosting I’ve ever had.
Do not, and I repeat, do not even THINK of skipping the frosting. The cake absolutely needs the cream cheese flavor to complete it.
The best part about this frosting is that it’s made with only 3 ingredients – butter, brown sugar, and cream cheese, and is as hassle-free as frosting can get.
You can really make this cake your own by topping it with flavors of your choice. I topped mine with some salted caramel sauce and a homemade crumble for some texture. You can also add roasted nuts like walnuts or almonds to add a layer of crunch to the cake.
So, have I said enough to convince you to try this carrot cake yourself? 😏 Let’s get started, then!
I have baked this cake in a loaf tin, but you can bake yours in round tins and make multiple layers. This recipe makes 3 6 inch cake layers. If you want to make an even bigger cake, this recipe can easily be doubled.
If you are making a layered cake, double the frosting recipe so that you can add a generous amount in between each layer.
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe.
Carrot Cake With Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- Hand whisk
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Grater
- Baking pan of choice*
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 160 gms all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 190 ml vegetable oil
- 80 ml full-fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 160 gms brown sugar
- 90 gms grated carrots
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 75 gms unsalted butter (softened)
- 50 gms packed brown sugar
- 150 gms cream cheese
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. Grease your baking pan with butter and flour to stop the cake from sticking to the pan while baking.
- Grate the carrots and squeeze all the water from the grated carrots. Make sure you measure the carrots after you squeeze all the liquid out of them. If you add the carrots without removing the liquid, it will add extra moisture in the cake which might sink the cake while baking.90 gms grated carrots
- In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour , baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and combine them with a hand whisk. If you are using any other spices, add them at this step, too.160 gms all-purpose flour, 2 tsps baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- In another bowl, add all the liquid ingredients: vegetable oil, full-fat milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until they are well combined.190 ml vegetable oil, 80 ml full-fat milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a bowl with an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the eggs (3) and whisk them on high speed for 3-5 minutes, until they are pale and fluffy.3 eggs
- Add the brown sugar into the eggs and whisk again on high speed for 3-5 minutes, until the sugar is well incorporated into the eggs and the mixture is fluffy.160 gms brown sugar
- With your mixer on low, slowly pour the prepared liquid ingredients into the egg and sugar mixture and whisk until they’re well combined.
- Add the prepared dry ingredients into the batter in 3 parts, folding the batter with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- Add the grated and squeezed carrots into the batter and fold them with a silicon spatula, the same way as the dry ingredients. Keep folding until there are no lumps of carrots or streaks of flour remaining in the batter.
- Pour the batter in the prepared baking pans and bake them for 30-40 minutes (if using a loaf tin) or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you are baking the cake in smaller cake pans, reduce the baking time to 20 minutes and let it bake until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl with an electric or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the softened butter and beat on medium-high speed until it’s pale and creamy.75 gms unsalted butter (softened)
- Add the brown sugar* and beat again for 3-5 minutes, until the sugar is well incorporated into the butter.50 gms packed brown sugar
- Add the cream cheese and beat the mix on medium speed until it’s properly combined with the butter and sugar, and you have a soft but stable frosting.150 gms cream cheese
- Refrigerate the frosting if you are not using it immediately. Once you are ready to use it, take it out of the fridge and beat it with your mixer to bring it back to the soft consistency. If the frosting feels hard, add a few splashes of milk while mixing.
- Once your cake layers have cooled, top them with the frosting and add any other toppings of your choice. I add salted caramel and some home made crumble on mine for texture. You can also use roasted nuts like almonds or walnuts.
Notes
Storage
This cake is best eaten fresh but can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.Tips and tricks:
- Baking pan – I have baked this cake in a loaf tin, but you can bake yours in round tins and make multiple layers. This recipe makes 3 6 inch cake layers. If using smaller tins, adjust the baking time accordingly, as mentioned in the instructions. If you want to make an even bigger cake, this recipe can easily be doubled. If you are making a layered cake, double the frosting recipe so that you can add a generous amount in between each layer.*
- Brown sugar for frosting – Make sure you are using packed brown sugar and not the granulated kind for the frosting as it will not mix properly with the butter and cream cheese and will make the frosting grainy.*
If you had to try only one recipe from my blog, make it this one! It truly is my favorite.
I hope you make this cake and enjoy it as much as I do. Let me know in the comments how you liked it! If you have any questions or suggestions, you can drop those in the comments, too!
Don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram with #ministryofpastry.
See you next time!
