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slice of carrot cake on a plate
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Carrot Cake

Spicy, moist, soft and delicious, this Carrot Cake Recipe with buttermilk and a thick cream cheese frosting will become your go-to favorite cake! 
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword best carrot cake recipe, carrot cake, carrot cake recipe, how to make carrot cake
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 14 servings
Calories 542kcal

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, measure out all dry ingredients and whisk together to combine.
    carrot cake batter
  • Create well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until just incorporated. Add in carrot and stir again. 
  • Divide batter evenly between baking pans and smooth the tops. Bake 20-25 minutes or until set.
    carrot cake batter being poured into a cake pan
  • Remove from oven and cool until pans are just warm. Invert cakes onto cooling racks, remove parchment paper and cool completely.
  • To make the frosting, place all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until completely combined, thick and smooth. Scrape the sides and stir again briefly to ensure a smooth frosting.
    cream cheese frosting
  • Place one cake onto a cake plate or serving platter. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of frosting onto the cake evenly (doesn’t have to be exact) being sure to push frosting right to the edges of the cake.
    carrot cake on a blue cake stand
  • Top with the other cake round. With the remaining frosting, frost the cake exterior. This can be done with simple tools like the back of a spoon, butter knife, or an offset spatula.
  • Decorate with anything from chopped pecans, coconut shreds, sprinkles, or even colored frosting in the shape of carrots.

Notes

See full blog post for multiple variations and tips for success.

Nutrition

Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 5060IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg
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