Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, candy, and evenly spiced, this carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is the meals of which candy tooth goals are made. 

Pioneer Girl Carrot Cake

For the longest time, years really, I used to be on a hunt for the most effective carrot cake recipe. Carrot cake is certainly one of Sean’s favourite desserts and I attempted a number of desserts that had been good, however they only didn’t measure as much as our expectations. We each have a tough time resisting carrot cake anytime it’s served, so the thought of constructing the proper carrot cake at house was irresistible.

Then I discovered Ree Drummond’s carrot cake recipe and let me inform you, this child measures up. I haven’t tried one other recipe since I made this one for the primary time over ten years in the past. I make it at the very least annually, generally extra typically than that.

This carrot cake is moist and candy and extremely flavorful. Basic carrot cake typically consists of pecans within the frosting, so I’ve listed them beneath as optionally available. (I not often embody nuts in my desserts and frostings, so I typically skip them when making a cake only for my household to take pleasure in.)

Easy Carrot Cake

It shouldn’t come as information to any of you that I’m not a cake decorator. Not even a bit bit. My sister and I baked this cake one time after I was visiting her and whereas the phrase “rustic” covers a large number of errors, it is likely to be pushing it right here.

While you’re spending time along with your sister, laughing at your errors is far more enjoyable than making an attempt to repair them.

So long as a cake is roofed in frosting, I’m completely happy.

I’ve tried to power myself to care what a remaining cake seems to be like, however even for a reasonably weblog submit, I’m simply not that lady. (You’ll be able to thank my sister Jenny for the truth that she added flowers to the cake the primary time I photographed this cake and managed to make it presentable.)

My favourite desserts are virtually at all times baked in sheet pans or flipped out of a bundt pan. Jenny and I doubled the recipe and made two generously sized desserts–a layered spherical cake and a bundt cake–to serve a ton of individuals.

The recipe as written beneath makes a cake that’s giant sufficient to supply dessert for a mean household a number of occasions over. I don’t suggest doubling it until you need to have a LOT of cake left over otherwise you’re making a cake for an enormous celebration. (Not that anybody complains about further cake!)

Can You Freeze Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting?

That’s an emphatic YES, my buddy. So, in case you’re as huge a fan of carrot cake as my husband is, go for it and double the recipe.

Refrigerate the cake in a single day to verify the frosting is ready after which wrap both the entire cake or particular person slices hermetic in plastic wrap, adopted by aluminum foil, a zip-close bag, or an alternate container.

Finest Cream Cheese Frosting for Carrot Cake

I can consider few cake and frosting combos extra good than carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The carrot and cinnamon taste within the cake is enhanced and heightened by the addition of creamy, candy cream cheese frosting.

There are a few methods to take pleasure in this cream cheese frosting. The primary methodology is to simply unfold the thick frosting excessive of the cooled cake in no matter methodology you want.

While you frost your cake this fashion, every chew will embody a layer of moist carrot cake and one other layer of frosting.

Once I make this cake in a bundt pan, I normally flip the frosting right into a pourable glaze. By stirring heavy cream or complete milk into the cream cheese combination, you’ll create a thinner icing that’s good for pouring over an inverted bundt cake.

I like this methodology for topping my desserts because it requires only a few adorning expertise and any imperfections are simply hidden.

The frosting on this unbelievable carrot cake recipe is really among the finest frostings I’ve tasted.

It has simply the correct amount of vanilla taste and powdered sugar blended in with the butter and cream cheese. I make this frosting even after I’m not making carrot cake; that’s how good it’s!

This cream cheese frosting can be scrumptious on cinnamon rolls, spice cakes, pumpkin cupcakes, and gingerbread recipes.

If you find yourself with any leftover frosting after you make this carrot cake, it retains properly within the fridge for a few weeks. (Or go forward and dig in with a spoon, I gained’t inform.)

Basic Carrot Cake Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your pan totally with butter. (A sheet pan, a 9×13, a bundt pan or (2) 8″ rounds will all work properly.) Mix the sugar, oil, and eggs and beat till easy.
2. Whisk collectively the dry substances in a separate bowl. Slowly add to the moist and blend to mix. Add the carrots and blend once more.
3. Pour into the ready pan and bake till a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. A sheet cake must be finished in about 25 minutes, a bundt cake will take nearer to 45 minutes. Cool the cake utterly earlier than frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting for Carrot Cake

1. Beat the cream cheese and the butter collectively till properly mixed. Add the sugar and the vanilla and beat once more till easy. Stir within the pecans, if desired.
2. When the cake is totally cool, frost as desired. For those who desire a glaze over a spreadable frosting, progressively add cream or milk whereas stirring continuously till the frosting is the specified consistency. Invert the bundt cake over a big plate and pour the glaze excessive.

Basic Carrot Cake

Dessert is successful each time I make this recipe. Whereas different carrot desserts I made prior to now turned out dense, dry, or too crumbly, this one seems moist and tender with each chew.

I’ve had some excellent carrot desserts from bakeries too however I’ve to say this do-it-yourself carrot cake recipe is the most effective I’ve tasted. It makes an excellent birthday dessert or after-dinner deal with. A slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is simply good to share with a buddy over a cup of espresso within the afternoon.

I like a great old style carrot cake with cream cheese frosting however I additionally get a kick out of different do-it-yourself treats impressed by carrot cake. You may also take pleasure in these Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple Cream Cheese Syrup and these Ginger Spice Carrot Cake Cookies.

To benefit from the richness of carrot cake taste in a nourishing hearty breakfast kind, you have to strive my Carrot Cake Oatmeal. It’s virtually pretty much as good as having cake for breakfast however even higher because you get to skip the inevitable sugar crash.

One other nice carrot cake for breakfast thought is that this recipe for Carrot Cake Muffin Tops with Cream Cheese Frosting by Shugary Sweets.

initially printed 9/23/13 – recipe notes and pictures up to date 5/24/23

recipe barely tailored from and with because of The Pioneer Girl