Carrot Cake Recipe

By Danilo Alfaro

Carrot cake.

Photo © James Baigrie / Getty Images

Carrot Cake Recipe

This carrot cake is moist and nutty with a slightly spicy flavor thanks to the ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Topped with a classic cream cheese frosting, this carrot cake recipe is a festive, holiday cake.

Here's an important tip: If it's been more than six months since you bought the baking powder and baking soda in your pantry, you should replace them. They lose their potency quickly, and your cake won't rise properly if it's too old. Trust me on this.

For a softer cake, you can substitute cake flour for the all-purpose flour. Just use 260 grams of cake flour, which will be about 2¾ cups.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups shredded carrots (about 5 medium carrots)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, plus ½ cup more for decorating the frosting
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.


2. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. It can help to line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit the pan.


3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt until everything is blended.


4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whip attachment, beat the eggs on high speed for about a minute. Then add the sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Finally, add the oil and vanilla.


5. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as you go. Next, fold in the nuts and grated carrots. Then pour the batter into your prepared pans and transfer them to the oven.


6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a crumb or two attached. You can start testing after 30 minutes, because it's better to check too soon than to overbake.


7. Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack, then loosen the edges by running a knife along the sides, turn the cakes out onto the racks and cool for at least another hour. Frost with cream cheese frosting and decorate the frosting with additional chopped walnuts.