Easy Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
This easy, ultra-moist two-layer carrot cake gets its incredible texture from a secret ingredient (mayonnaise!), and it is topped with a rich homemade cream cheese buttercream frosting.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 627kcal
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Apple Sauce unsweetened
- ½ cup Water room temperature
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Carrot finely shredded
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- ½ cup Butter softened
- 4 - 4 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons Milk of choice
Instructions
Make the Carrot Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F, then grease and line two 9” cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mayonnaise, applesauce, water, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add the shredded carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir using a wooden spoon until just incorporated, with no dry bits of flour remaining.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour, before frosting and decorating.
Make the Buttercream
- While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting by beating softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla, adding the milk a tablespoon at a time until it is thick, fluffy, and holds stiff peaks.👉 See the full recipe for more in depth step-by-step details.
Frost the Carrot Cake
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, transfer one layer to a cake board or a flat large plate. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese buttercream evenly over the top using an offset spatula or a regular spatula.
- Top with the second cake layer, pressing gently to adhere. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate the cake for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Video
Notes
- Mayonnaise: This is the secret ingredient! It is seriously a game-changer in baked goods and makes the moistest, most delicious cake ever. Use full-fat, homemade mayo, half-fat, or plant-based mayo, any of them work!
- Carrots: Be sure to use fresh, finely hand-grated carrots. Pre-shredded bagged carrots are too thick and dry, and won't work properly for this cake.
- Spices: The cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg can be swapped for 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting: Make your own homemade frosting, I promise it will be worth the little bit of extra effort!
- Leftover carrot cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If it has been cut, wrap it with plastic wrap before storing it.
- This carrot cake recipe is easily adaptable for a variety of diets, including vegan, egg-free, and gluten-free. Please see the above post for more detailed instructions.
- Use this carrot cake and cream cheese buttercream frosting to make cake pops or turn it into cupcakes! If baking cupcakes, reduce the baking time to around 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 4075IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
