Perfect for any occasion: Ultra moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Robin Donovan

Recipe Developer

There are few desserts that have such a committed following as carrot cake. People who love it will go to the ends of the earth for a good one. This one fits the bill. It’s fluffy, super moist and made with cozy warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. It’s also loaded with delicious, chewy and crunchy bits of walnuts, raisins, and coconut. And you can’t miss the rich, buttery cream cheese frosting that blankets every bite.
This cake is delightfully moist as it is, but some people don’t consider a carrot cake legit if it doesn’t have the flavor and added moisture of crushed pineapple. If you’re one of those, feel free to mix in 2/3 cup crushed pineapple along with the eggs. This cake is a year-round favorite for all sorts of occasions.

Cooktop Cove

Carrot Cake

30 minutes

40 minutes

10 hour and 10 minutes

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

3 cups finely grated carrots

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

1 cup shredded toasted coconut

1 cup raisins

For the frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit and grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt and nutmeg.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat to incorporate.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the carrots, walnuts, coconut, and raisins.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pans, dividing equally.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Set the pans on a wire cooling rack and let cool for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake to loosen them from the pans and then invert them onto the wire rack and let cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioners sugar in several batches, beating to incorporate. Beat until the frosting is a thick, spreadable consistency.

When the cake is fully cooled, place one layer on a cake plate. Spread icing liberally over the top. Place the second layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

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