Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides, or line two round cake rings with foil at the bottom and place them on a baking sheet.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 2
Peel and grate the carrots into a plate. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, crack the two eggs. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs. Whisk the eggs and sugar together vigorously until the mixture becomes pale yellow, thick, and streams slowly from the whisk.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Sift 2 cups of white flour into the egg and sugar mixture. Whisk the flour into the mixture until a thick batter forms.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add the grated carrots to the batter. Zest the orange directly into the bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Using a spatula, gently fold the carrots and orange zest into the batter. Sift an additional 1/4 cup of white flour into the mixture (if needed to reach desired consistency). Add the chopped nuts and pour in the melted butter or oil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Fold all the ingredients together with the spatula until thoroughly combined and the batter is thick and chunky.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Divide the prepared batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans or rings. Place them into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Once baked, remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can slice each cake horizontally to create four thinner layers, if desired for a multi-layered cake.
⏱️ 30 min
- 10
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the orange juice. Slice the orange in half and use a hand juicer to extract the fresh orange juice into a small jar or bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese. Pour in the powdered sugar and either milk or cream. Whisk all the frosting ingredients together until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
To assemble the cake, place one cooled cake layer onto a serving plate. Using a brush, moisten the top of the cake layer with some of the fresh orange juice. Pipe or spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake layer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Carefully place the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process: brush with orange juice and pipe/spread frosting. Continue until all four cake layers (if sliced) are stacked with frosting in between.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Apply the remaining cream cheese frosting to cover the entire cake, smoothing the top and sides with an offset spatula. For decoration, you can press crushed cake crumbs or extra chopped nuts onto the sides of the cake.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
The carrot cake is now complete. Slice a piece to reveal the layers and enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Carrot Cake
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides, or line two round cake rings with foil at the bottom and place them on a baking sheet.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 2
Peel and grate the carrots into a plate. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a large mixing bowl, crack the two eggs. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs. Whisk the eggs and sugar together vigorously until the mixture becomes pale yellow, thick, and streams slowly from the whisk.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Sift 2 cups of white flour into the egg and sugar mixture. Whisk the flour into the mixture until a thick batter forms.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add the grated carrots to the batter. Zest the orange directly into the bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Using a spatula, gently fold the carrots and orange zest into the batter. Sift an additional 1/4 cup of white flour into the mixture (if needed to reach desired consistency). Add the chopped nuts and pour in the melted butter or oil.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Fold all the ingredients together with the spatula until thoroughly combined and the batter is thick and chunky.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Divide the prepared batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans or rings. Place them into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Once baked, remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can slice each cake horizontally to create four thinner layers, if desired for a multi-layered cake.
⏱️ 30 min - 10
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the orange juice. Slice the orange in half and use a hand juicer to extract the fresh orange juice into a small jar or bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese. Pour in the powdered sugar and either milk or cream. Whisk all the frosting ingredients together until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
To assemble the cake, place one cooled cake layer onto a serving plate. Using a brush, moisten the top of the cake layer with some of the fresh orange juice. Pipe or spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake layer.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Carefully place the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process: brush with orange juice and pipe/spread frosting. Continue until all four cake layers (if sliced) are stacked with frosting in between.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Apply the remaining cream cheese frosting to cover the entire cake, smoothing the top and sides with an offset spatula. For decoration, you can press crushed cake crumbs or extra chopped nuts onto the sides of the cake.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
The carrot cake is now complete. Slice a piece to reveal the layers and enjoy!
⏱️ 5 min