Carrot Cake
This classic carrot cake is deeply moist, tender, and perfectly balanced, made with freshly grated carrots, warm cinnamon, sour cream, and a touch of olive oil. Finished with a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting and just enough crunch from walnuts, it’s the kind of bakery-style carrot cake everyone loves, even people who don’t usually like carrot cake.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Batter
- 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 3 1/4 cups finely grated fresh carrots **See notes
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted toasted walnuts finely chopped
For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese cold
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- Finely chopped walnuts for decorating
- Orange & green gel food coloring for the carrots, if decorating
Instructions
Make the Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the canola oil, olive oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the sour cream until combined, then add the finely grated carrots and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.
- Add the dry ingredients and finely chopped walnuts and mix on low speed until just combined, and no dry flour pockets remain.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans (~745 grams in each), smoothing the tops with a spatula.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20–30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove the cake layers from the pans and let them cool completely on the rack.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl, cream the butter until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in the cream cheese on low until just combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated, then increase to low-medium speed and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste until combined. *If piping carrots, set aside a small amount for that in a separate bowl.*
Assemble the Cake
- Use a sharp serrated knife to level the tops of the cake layers to expose the crumb.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread ~3/4 cup frosting evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer upside down on top so the surface is perfectly flat.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the top and sides of the cake, then refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the frosting is set to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the top and sides with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Decorate with additional chopped walnuts, if desired.
- To decorate with carrots, split the reserved frosting into two small bowls. Color one with orange gel food coloring and the other with green gel food coloring. Use a very small round tip for the carrots and a very small star tip for the green tops.
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Never scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
**Carrots should be freshly grated using the small holes of a box grater or a food processor. Do not use pre-shredded carrots, and do not drain their moisture.
Storage: Keep leftover cake slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
