Recipes › Carrot › Classic American Carrot Cake
Classic American Carrot Cake
A moist, warmly spiced American carrot cake loaded with freshly grated carrots, crushed pineapple, and toasted walnuts, finished with a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting. This is the definitive American celebration cake — tender, fragrant, and utterly irresistible.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups carrots, freshly grated (about 1 lb carrots)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 8 oz crushed pineapple, well-drained
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)Pecans
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
Contains: cereals gluten, eggs, milk, nuts.
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or line with parchment). Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.About 5 min
- In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars, vegetable oil, and eggs until smooth and well combined. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Fold in the grated carrots and drained pineapple.About 5 min
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined — do not overmix. Fold in the walnuts. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.About 3 min
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy, add powdered sugar and remaining vanilla, beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake layers.About 60 min
Tips
- Grate the carrots finely on the small holes of a box grater for the most moist texture.
- Drain the pineapple very well — squeeze it in a clean towel if needed to remove excess liquid.
- The cake layers can be made 2 days ahead and wrapped tightly at room temperature before frosting.
Ring the changes
- Bake in a 9x13-inch pan for a single-layer sheet cake that feeds a crowd more easily.
Keeping it
Store frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Unfrosted layers freeze well for up to 2 months, wrapped tightly in plastic.
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