Carrot Cake

Ultra moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and a rich buttermilk glaze. Soft, bakery-style texture and perfectly spiced flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake recipes, cream cheese frosting

Cook Time 35

Servings -12 servings

Calories 1394kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup neutral flavor vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, lightly packed
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup walnuts, toasted + coarsely chopped

Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 (8-ounce) pack cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 -- 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Garnish-Optional

2 cups walnuts, chopped
fondant carrots

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Cake:

Prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºC).
Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then lightly butter the parchment as well.
Toast the walnuts. Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 7–8 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool, then chop.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (2 cups), baking powder (2 teaspoons), salt (3/4 teaspoon), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon), ginger (1/4 teaspoon), and cloves (1/8 teaspoon). Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the eggs (3). Add the oil (3/4 cup), buttermilk (3/4 cup), brown sugar (1 cup), granulated sugar (1 cup), and vanilla (1 tablespoon), then whisk until smooth and well combined.
Combine the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the drained pineapple (1 can), grated carrots (2 cups), coconut (1 cup), raisins (1 cup), and toasted walnuts (1 cup) until evenly distributed.
Rest the batter. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before baking. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps create a better crumb.
Bake the cake. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and spread it gently into an even layer.
Tap the pans gently on the counter once or twice to release any large air bubbles. (A gentle tap is better than a hard bang for this type of batter).
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, for about 30–35 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly when touched.
Don’t pull the cakes too early — because this is a moist, heavy batter, underbaking can cause the layers to sink in the middle as they cool.
Rotate the pans halfway through baking for even browning.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10–15 minutes before turning out onto a rack.

Make Buttermilk Glaze:

Make the glaze. While the cake bakes, add the sugar (1 cup), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), buttermilk (1/2 cup), butter (1/4 cup), and corn syrup (1 tablespoon) to a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. The mixture will foam up, so make sure your pan is big enough.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze turns a light caramel color. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla (1 teaspoon).
Glaze the warm cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, use a fork or skewer to poke holes all over the top. Slowly pour the warm glaze evenly over the hot cake. Let the cake cool completely in the pan so the glaze has time to soak in.

Make The Frosting:

Beat the frosting base. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese (8 ounces) and butter (1/3 cup) together until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the flavorings. Beat in the vanilla (1 teaspoon), orange juice (1 teaspoon), orange zest (1 teaspoon), and a pinch of salt until combined.
Add the powdered sugar. Gradually add the powdered sugar (2 --2 1/2 cups), beating on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed and beat until smooth and creamy.
Finish the frosting. Beat for another 30–60 seconds until the frosting is light, smooth, and spreadable.
Frost the cake. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake. Chill for 2 hour minimum or best, overnight before slicing for the neatest pieces.

Notes

Frosting Note: Most of the time, one batch of frosting is all I use, and it frosts the cake perfectly. For very special occasions, I sometimes make extra frosting for a thicker finish, decorative swirls, and fondant carrots. A double batch works well for that. If you only want enough extra frosting for the swirls, make a half batch and add 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar so it's thick enough to hold its shape. For the swirls on top, I used a Wilton 1M tip in a disposable decorating bag.
Optional Fondant Carrot Decorations: The fondant carrots shown in the photos are completely optional. You’ll need a small amount of orange and green fondant (or white fondant with gel food coloring) and a tiny bit of water to attach the tops. For full step-by-step instructions, see the “How to Make Fondant Carrots for Decorating” section in the article.
The glaze is your secret weapon. Pouring the warm glaze over hot cake layers allows it to soak in deeply, creating that ultra-soft, bakery-style texture.
Finely grate your carrots. Smaller shreds blend into the batter better, giving you a more tender crumb.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until combined to avoid a dense cake.
Bake until just set. This is a moist, heavy batter — underbaking can cause the center to sink.
Let the batter rest before baking. This simple step gives the flour time to hydrate, resulting in a smoother batter and a softer, more even crumb.
For thicker frosting and prettier swirls. Most of the time, I make this cake with just one batch of frosting, and it frosts beautifully. If I’m making it for a very special occasion, I’ll sometimes make extra frosting for a thicker finish, swirls on top, and fondant carrots. For that look, a double batch gives you plenty for a more generous coating. If you only want enough extra frosting for the swirls, make a half batch and add 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar so it’s thick enough to hold its shape.
For the swirls on top, I used a Wilton 1M tip and a disposable decorating bag.
Chill before slicing. A short chill helps the frosting set and gives you clean, beautiful slices.
Even better the next day. This carrot cake is good the day you make it, but it’s even better the next day. Letting it rest overnight in the refrigerator allows the glaze to fully absorb and the flavors to deepen for the best overall texture and taste.

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