Decadent Carrot Cake Recipe

Moist and rich carrot cake on a cake stand with a slice on a saucer plate on the table.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot cake, carrot cake recipe

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Chilling time: 1

Total Time: 2 30

Servings:

Calories: 783kcal

Author: Victor

The most scrumptious carrot cake you'll ever taste.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Carrot cake

4 eggs
360 g caster sugar
225 ml canola oil or any neutral-flavored oil, like sunflower, corn, avocado, or peanut oil, etc.
2 tsp vanilla extract
300 g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fine sea salt
480 g carrots peeled and grated (about 5 carrots)
200 g pineapple chopped into little chunks, including all the juices that run off while chopping it.
100 g pecans toasted and roughly chopped (see the notes below)

Cream cheese icing

200 g butter at room temperature (see notes)
150 g icing sugar
500 g cream cheese at room temperature (see notes)

Instructions

Making the cake

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Butter 2 × 8" round cake pans and line their bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
Using a mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream while continuing to mix, followed by vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Next, fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture using a large spoon.
Finally, stir in the carrots, pineapple, and toasted pecans until completely combined.
Divide the batter equally between the two cake pans and smooth the surfaces.
Bake for 40–45 minutes until risen and springy to the touch and a wooden stick inserted into their centers comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack before unmolding. It would be ideal if you could make the cakes ahead and chill them in the refrigerator.

Making the frosting

Using a mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, creamy, and shiny, about 5 minutes at high speed. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and the beater, add the icing sugar, and beat for another 3–4 minutes.
Beat the cream cheese with a wooden spoon or spatula until it has the same consistency as the butter icing, then mix the two together at a low speed.

Assembling the cake

Unmold the cooled-down / chilled cakes. Place one on a serving plate.
Using an icing spatula, spread a quarter of the icing onto the bottom cake. Put the second cake on top and gently press it down.
Spread just enough icing to coat the top and sides of the cakes with a very thin layer, incorporating all the loose crumbs. Put the cake into the freezer for 10 minutes, or the fridge for 20–30 minutes, until the coat has set.
Spread the remaining icing all over the top and sides in a smooth, even layer. Chill in the fridge until the icing is set – around 30 minutes.

Notes

To toast the nuts, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Stir half-way to ensure even roasting. You want the nuts to just slightly change the color both on the inside and on the outside. Do not over-roast! Different ovens bake differently, so keep an eye on them and check frequently. Let the nuts cool down completely before chopping.

If the cream cheese and the butter aren’t at room temperature, your icing will separate and turn grainy.

Nutrition