You Don’t Like Carrot Cake? You Haven’t Tried This One

Warmly spiced, perfectly moist, and finished with the best cream cheese frosting you have ever tasted. This is the carrot cake that converts.

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If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that I have a long love of carrot cake. It is one of my all time favorite cakes. It’s the perfect spring cake and my favorite Easter cake, birthday cake, Mother’s Day cake and any other celebration cake.

What I love most about carrot cake is something that sounds almost contradictory — it is a spring cake that tastes like fall. The warm cinnamon, the little kick of ginger, the cloves, a pinch of nutmeg. It is the kind of cake that fills your kitchen with a warm, comforting scent that makes people stop in the middle of a conversation to ask what is baking.

I have watched this cake convert people. Friends who swear they did not like carrot cake. Friends who were just being polite when they accepted a slice. Friends who then asked for a second piece. I have watched it happen at my own table more times than I can count — especially the people who claim they don’t like cream cheese frosting.

This is my adapted version of a classic carrot cake, finished with a cream cheese frosting. And I am sharing it today as part of my collaboration with my friend Sheri Silver and our ongoing series, Sweet Treats for Your Sweet Tooth. Sheri’s blog is one of my favorite places on the internet — full of inventive recipes that make you want to head straight to the kitchen. I think you will love her and her version of carrot cake as well.

Whether you are baking this for Easter Sunday, a spring gathering, a birthday, or just a quiet afternoon when you want something homemade and wonderful — this cake is the answer.

Why This Carrot Cake Is Different

A lot of carrot cake recipes rely entirely on cinnamon for their flavor and call it a day. This one does not. The spice blend here — cinnamon, fresh ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves — is what makes this cake special. The cinnamon gives it warmth, the ginger brightens it and gives it a little life, and the cloves, nutmeg and allspice add that subtle depth you cannot quite put your finger on but would absolutely miss if it were gone.

The other thing that sets this cake apart is how it stays moist. Freshly grated carrots release moisture into the batter as it bakes, keeping every crumb tender. And because this cake uses oil rather than butter, the texture stays soft and delicious for days. I would argue this cake is even better on day two, once the spices have had time to meld together. Make it the day before your gathering. You will be very glad you did.

About That Cream Cheese Frosting

Let’s be honest with each other. The frosting is half the reason we are here.

This cream cheese frosting is my recipe. It is buttery and balanced — not too sweet, not too heavy, not the kind of frosting that overwhelms the cake, with just a hint of tang. It complements the warm spices instead of competing with them. It spreads beautifully and holds its shape if you want to pipe a few decorative swirls on top. I personally just swirls it around and decorate with a spoon or a knife.

I have been known to eat a spoonful straight from the bowl, not an entire bowl like my all time favorite chocolate frosting but a spoon or two.

What You Need to Make Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cake

• 1½ cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon cloves
• punch of freshly ground nutmeg
• pinch of allspice
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups carrots, finely grated on a box grater
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans, reserve some for garnish

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-5 tablespoons milk

Step by Step Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper just to be sure nothing sticks.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil, sugar, salt, eggs and spices.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then add to the mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Add the carrots and nuts and mix until just combined.
4. Next, spoon the batter into the baking pan, filling only three quarters full. Use any remaining batter to make cupcakes, about 6.
5. Bake the cake and cupcakes on the middle rack of the oven. The cupcakes will take about 21–24 minutes and the cake about 30-40 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so start checking at 25 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer or a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
7. After the cake is cooled make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low(trust me on this) and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then add the vanilla extract and a teaspoon of milk a tablespoon a time until you reach the desired consistency of frosting.
8. Frost the cooled cake, sprinkle with chopped toasted or candied pecans and enjoy.
9. I like my frosting sweeter rather than tangy, so I add the extra cup of powdered sugar. If you prefer the tang of cream cheese use 3 cups of powdered sugar. Or use your favorite buttercream frosting instead.

Variations

• Fold in ¾ cup of roughly chopped toasted walnuts, swap them for the pecans into the batter. Toast them first — it takes five minutes in a dry skillet and makes a difference to the flavor of the cake.
• Stir in ½ cup of well-drained crushed pineapple for extra moisture and a subtle tropical flavor. Just be sure to drain it really well or it will affect the texture.
• If you are baking for a crowd, pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Frost in the pan and slice into bars.
• Make cupcakes — this batter makes about 24, filled two thirds full and baked at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Top with frosting and a little dusting of cinnamon.
• For the frosting, brown the butter first, let it cool completely before you beat it in, and add a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom. It is a little extra effort and entirely worth it.

How I Like to Serve Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Press roughly chopped toasted walnuts or pecans around the sides of the frosted cake or on top. I added candied pecans for a little extra flavor.

Add a dusting of cinnamon on top for a little color and a rustic look.

If you are serving this at Easter, a few edible spring flowers make it look beautiful with almost no effort at all. Or make marzipan carrots with the kids to decorate the top.

Double the frosting and pipe colorful orange carrots and green carrot leaves or pile a simple decoration to make the cake a little more fancy.

A cup of coffee is a classic companion. Earl Grey tea is wonderful too, especially in the afternoon. And a scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream alongside a room temperature slice of this cake is always a good idea.

For a full Easter or spring brunch spread, serve this alongside a simple fruit salad and something sparkling to drink. It is festive without requiring much extra effort at all.

Carrot Cake Storage Tips

One of the best things about this cake is that it stores well, which means you can make it ahead.

Unfrosted layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to two days before frosting — my favorite strategy when I am baking for a gathering. The finished frosted cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting — loosely covered for up to five days. Take it out 30 to 45 minutes before serving, it’s best in my opinion if the frosting is soft.

Unfrosted layers freeze for up to three months. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap then in foil, freeze, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you are ready to use them. I do not recommend freezing the fully frosted cake — the cream cheese frosting can become watery when thawed.

Some recipes find their way into your life and become “one of’s” others become family favorites and staples that each person puts their stamp on. This carrot cake is one of those for me. I have made it for Easter dinners and birthday celebrations, for potlucks and lazy Sunday afternoons when I simply wanted something to bake.

If you make it I would love to hear how it goes. Did you add the walnuts? Try the brown butter frosting? Leave a note in the comments below — I read every one.

And do not forget to visit Sheri over at Sheri Silver Blog— then bake one of each of our cakes!

You Don’t Like Carrot Cake? You Haven’t Tried This One

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Warmly spiced, perfectly moist, and finished with the best cream cheese frosting you have ever tasted. This is the carrot cake that converts.

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 cake + 6 cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the Cake

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• punch of freshly ground nutmeg
• pinch of allspice
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups carrots, finely grated on a box grater
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans, reserve some for garnish

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3–5 tablespoons milk
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

Step by Step Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil, sugar, salt, eggs and spices.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then add to the mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Add the carrots and nuts and mix until just combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the baking pan, filling only three quarters full. Use any remaining batter to make cupcakes, about 6.
5. Bake the cake and cupcakes on the middle rack of the oven. The cupcakes will take about 21–24 minutes and the cake about 35-40 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so start checking at 25 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer or a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
7. To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low(trust me on this) and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, then add the vanilla and a teaspoon of milk a tablespoon a time until you reach the desired consistency of frosting.
8. Frost the cooled cake, sprinkle with chopped toasted or candied pecans and enjoy.
9. I like my frosting sweeter rather than tangy, so I add the extra cup of powdered sugar and a little more milk if you prefer the tang of cream cheese use 3 cups of powdered sugar.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from The King Arthur Company

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Cake
• Method: Baked

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