Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Carrot Cake:

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups (250 g) vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups (352 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 2 ¼ cups finely grated carrots
• ½ cup pineapple, drained from a can or freshly diced

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups (512 g) confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

Carrot Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare two 8-inch round baking pans. (You can also use three 7-inch round cake pans.) Generously butter the pans or spray each with baking spray.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs until light yellow, about 3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. (Double sifting is recommended)
5. With the mixer on low speed, slowly and gently add in the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined.
6. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the raisins, nuts, carrots, and pineapple.
7. Divide the batter equally between the pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. A few crumbs are what you want for a MOIST cake!
8. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Place room temperature butter, cream cheese, and vanilla into mixer and blend for 1-2 minutes on medium until fully incorporated. 
2. Add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting is light and creamy. Whip cream cheese frosting for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. 
3. Frost the cooled cake with the cream cheese frosting.