Recipe Inspiration
This Easy Carrot Cake Recipe is everything you expect out of carrot cake — moist, dense, infused with a warm spice flavor and layered with a classic whipped cream cheese frosting.
– ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature – ½ cup canola oil 100 grams – 1 cup brown sugar packed – ¾ cup granulated sugar – 4 eggs – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract – 1 cup low fat buttermilk – 2 teaspoons baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon – ½ teaspoon ground ginger – ½ teaspoon baking soda – ½ teaspoon salt – 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour fluffed and leveled 293g – 3 cups grated carrots – 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting – 1 cup cream cheese room temperature 250g/8oz – 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar – ¾ cup whipping cream 30-35% cold – 1 teaspoon vanilla
– Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray three 8″ round cake pans with non-stick spray and dust with flour if desired, tapping pan so that all excess flour is removed. – In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add oil and sugars and beat for 2-3 minutes.
– Add eggs and beat until completely combined. – Add vanilla and buttermilk, and beat on low speed until smooth.
– Add baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed until smooth. – Add flour, and stir just until no visible streaks of flour remain.
Stir in carrots and nuts if using.
– Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Tranfser the cake layers to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
-- Make frosting. – Divide cream cheese frosting between cooled cake layers to assemble. Top with additional chopped nuts or decorate as desired