Grandma’s Beloved Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This Grandma’s Beloved Classic Carrot Cake recipe delivers a moist, warmly spiced dessert layered with rich and creamy homemade cream cheese frosting. Featuring grated carrots, aromatic spices, and optional toasted nuts, this traditional American carrot cake is perfect for family gatherings and special occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrots (about 3–4 medium carrots)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–4 tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until evenly combined.
- Combine Sugar and Oil: In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and vegetable oil together thoroughly.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time into the sugar and oil mixture to ensure smooth incorporation. Then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cake.
- Fold in Carrots and Nuts: Gently fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts if desired, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Fill Pan and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until well combined and fluffy.
- Adjust Frosting Consistency: Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time to reach your desired frosting thickness and spreadability.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, frost it generously with the cream cheese frosting, spreading evenly over the surface.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are at room temperature before beating for a smooth, lump-free frosting.
- Optional: Add raisins to the batter for additional sweetness and chewy texture.
- For enhanced flavor, toast the nuts lightly before chopping and adding to the batter.
- Adjust milk or cream amount in frosting to achieve preferred thickness and consistency.
Keywords: classic carrot cake, carrot cake recipe, cream cheese frosting, moist carrot cake, spiced carrot cake, traditional American dessert
