Spiced Carrot Cake Cream Cheese (Print version)
Moist, warmly spiced carrot cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, ideal for sharing and special occasions.
# Ingredient List:
→ Carrot Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 g)
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
10 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)
11 - 1 cup vegetable oil (240 ml)
12 - 4 large eggs
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - 3 cups grated carrots (330 g), about 4-5 medium carrots
15 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (60 g), optional
16 - ½ cup raisins (80 g), optional
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 g)
18 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
19 - 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted (300 g)
20 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
03 - In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Gradually fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
05 - Fold in grated carrots, then nuts and raisins if using.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beating until fluffy.
09 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread with frosting. Top with the second layer, then frost the top and sides evenly.
10 - Optionally garnish with extra nuts or a dusting of cinnamon. Slice and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crumb stays impossibly tender because the oil keeps everything moist without the heaviness you'd get from butter alone.
- Those warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger—transform shredded carrots into something that tastes almost decadent.
- The cream cheese frosting is tangy enough to cut through the sweetness, so this cake doesn't feel cloying even with two layers.
02 -
- Don't try to frost a warm cake—the frosting will slide off and the cake will tear; if you're in a rush, pop the cooled cakes in the fridge for 30 minutes first.
- Grate your carrots fresh and don't wring them out; that moisture is what keeps the cake tender and prevents it from tasting like a carrot brick.
- Make sure your cream cheese and butter are truly softened to room temperature, not melted; otherwise your frosting will be thin and greasy instead of fluffy and spreadable.
03 -
- Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable; if it's cold, your frosting will be grainy and lumpy no matter how much you beat it.
- If you're making this ahead, frost it, wrap the whole cake in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to three days; the flavors meld and improve.