Writer and Photographer Francine Coles

Elevate your summer gatherings with this exquisite carrot cake, featuring a luscious cream cheese frosting that will have your guests craving more! This delightful dessert is perfect for those warm, sun-filled days spent with friends and family. As a self-proclaimed carrot cake enthusiast, I can assure you that this recipe is a standout. While it may be a bit fussier than other carrot cake recipes, the simplicity of using the same luscious frosting between layers and on the outside makes it worth the effort.

Serves: 10

Ingredients

For the Carrot Cake:

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups finely grated peeled carrots, about 1 pound

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease or spray three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment. Lightly grease or spray parchment paper.
  2. Using a large mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in a bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes.
  5. Cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
  6. Using a mixer, beat all frosting ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
  7. Place 1 cake layer on a platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting on top. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Add more swirls of icing on top.
  8. Top with edible flowers (I used marigolds and carrot greens) and decorations as desired.

Note: This frosting needs to be refrigerated, so be sure to make room in the fridge.

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