There are some really strong opinions out there about which is the best carrot cake recipe out there. Do you add nuts or no? I say yes, my husband is a hard ‘no’! Do you use applesauce or oil? Pineapple or no? Butter cream or cream cheese frosting?
Over the years I have tried so many different carrot cake variations and I think I finally landed on the absolute best carrot cake recipe. It does use pineapple, but not a nut to be found 🙂 If you really wanted some, you can easily add them to this recipe, but honestly I didn’t even miss them!
This cake recipe is super moist. Make sure you not oil grease your pans really well, but also cut out some parchment paper for the bottom of your cake pans. I didn’t the first time and I had to do some major cake surgery. (nothing a little frosting can’t fix 😉 )
I look forward to hearing how you enjoy this recipe!
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The Best Carrot Cake Recipe Ever
Description
This super sweet, super moist carrot cake is the absolute best carrot cake recipe I have ever tasted!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 1/2–3 cups of grated carrots
- 1– 8oz. can crushed pineapple packed in juice (NOT drained!)
- Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar
- *optional 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and flour two 9″ round pans–I highly recommend cutting and placing parchment paper on the bottoms of your pan. This cake tends to stick otherwise.
- Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, and salt into a mixing bowl
- In a separate bowl combine eggs, oil, sugars, and extract. ( I use a hand mixer for this to make sure I don’t over mix!).
- Add in dry ingredients and mix by hand.
- Stir in carrots and pineapple–mix by had to incorporate.
- Divide batter between two cake pans
- Cook 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and immediately run a knife around the edges of the cake. Let cake rest 15 minutes and invert onto cooling rack.
- While cakes are cooling beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
- Add in confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.
- Once cakes have cooled completely, frost and enjoy.
Notes
*Keep cake covered and refrigerated
*Cake keeps well in the refrigerator for days, but I doubt it will last you that long 😉
*This is enough frosting for a nice thick layer of frosting between the two cakes layers and frosting on top of the cake with naked sides. I find the cake is sweet enough without drowning it in too much frosting.
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