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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, spiced carrot cake layers under a thick cream cheese frosting, with candied pecans over the top. It keeps for days and tastes better on the second.

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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What it's made of

Cake layersCarrot Cake Layers FrostingCream Cheese Frosting FinishCandied Pecan Crunch
Makes 12 servings Active 1 hr 28 minChill or rest 1 hr 0 minParts 3
Contains egg, wheat, milk, tree nuts (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this layer cake and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Carrot Cake LayersCake layers · makes 12 slices

  • 2.0 cupsall-purpose flour (250.0 g)
  • 2.0 tspbaking soda (10.0 g)
  • 0.5 tspfine sea salt (3.0 g)
  • 2.0 tspground cinnamon (5.0 g)
  • 0.5 tspground nutmeg (1.0 g)
  • 4.0 large eggs (200.0 g)
  • 1.0 cupgranulated sugar (200.0 g)
  • 0.75 cuplight brown sugar, packed (160.0 g)
  • 1.0 cupvegetable oil (240.0 ml)
  • 2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
  • 3.0 cupsfinely grated carrots (about 6 medium) (300.0 g)

Cream Cheese FrostingFrosting · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 4.0 tbspunsalted butter, softened (57.0 g)
  • 4.0 ozcream cheese, softened (113.0 g)
  • 2.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (240.0 g)
  • 1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)
  • 2.0 tbspwhole milk, as needed (30.0 ml)
  • 0.125 tspfine sea salt

Candied Pecan CrunchFinish · makes 12 doughnuts

  • 1.0 cuppecan halves (100.0 g)
  • 0.25 cuplight brown sugar, packed (53.0 g)
  • 1.0 tbspunsalted butter (14.0 g)
  • 1.0 tbspwater (15.0 ml)
  • 0.5 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (2.5 ml)
  • 0.125 tspfine sea salt

Method

1. Carrot Cake Layersfull recipe

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment and butter the paper; dust with flour and tap out the excess.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk the eggs with both sugars until thick, then whisk in the oil and vanilla.
  3. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the carrots.
  4. Divide between the pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool in the pans 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, turn out onto a rack, peel off the parchment and cool completely before filling.

2. Cream Cheese Frostingfull recipe

  1. Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  2. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the vanilla, and beat until combined.
  3. Beat in the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is soft and swirlable, then beat on medium-high for 1 minute until fluffy.
  4. Spread or pipe onto the tops of completely cooled doughnuts.

3. Candied Pecan Crunchfull recipe

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, water, and salt, stirring until bubbling.
  2. Add the nuts and cook, stirring, until the syrup thickens and coats them, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
  3. Spread on the parchment in a single layer and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  4. Chop coarsely and press onto freshly glazed or frosted doughnuts.

4. Put it together

  1. Bake the Carrot Cake Layers and cool the layers completely, at least 1 hour. Level the tops with a serrated knife if they domed.
  2. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting.
  3. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the whole cake and chill 20 minutes, then frost with the rest.
  4. Finish with the Candied Pecan Crunch.
  5. Chill until the frosting is firm, then let the cake sit at room temperature 30 minutes before slicing.