Delicious Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
This incredibly tasty Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting will soon become your favorite. Here are the reasons why we adore it:
- the carrot cake is soft and moist, with a subtle and delicious walnut flavor and crunch
- the frosting isn't overly sweet, and it's beautifully creamy
- kids and adults like this recipe
- excellent for slow weekends, celebrations, and holidays
- a simple beginner-friendly recipe
Essential ingredients
The preparation for this Carrot Cake recipe is divided into two parts. First, we need to make the carrot cake, and then we need to make the cream cheese buttercream. The frosting is not overly sweet, and it's made in minutes. You will find the whole written recipe below.
Carrots - use freshly grated carrots. They will add a lovely flavor and add a subtle natural sweetness.
Walnuts - add crunchiness and a nutty flavor. Feel free to use pecans as well.
Sugar - use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. The latter adds a slightly caramelized flavor.
Spices - use warm spices like cinnamon powder and nutmeg.
Apple Sauce - the apple sauce will make this cake softer and juicier. Homemade apple sauce is so easy to make. Peel the apples, cut them into cubes, and cook them in water. Blend into a smooth apple sauce. For this recipe, we will need approximately three apples.
Buttercream frosting - Generally, buttercream frostings can be so sweet, but we wanted to make it light and not overly sweet. Use powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, and cream cheese. Optionally add in the rum, but leave it out if you're making this dessert for kids.
Storing and freezing
Feel free to store this Carrot Cake in two ways.
Add the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Feel free to freeze the Carrot Cake without the Cream Cheese Frosting. When the cake cools, transfer it to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 2 months. Defrost in a microwave or the fridge overnight.
How to make Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting at home (video)
Check this quick video to master making Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting at home.
Next time, try these carrot desserts
Thank you, Žito and Podravka, for the delicious ingredients and for sponsoring this post.
METHOD
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preparation
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 180 °C / 350 °F. Grease a baking dish (20cm x 24cm or 8-inch x 9.5-inch) with butter and sprinkle with flour. Discard any excess flour.
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carrot cake
First, make the cake. Grate the carrot into a large bowl. In a bowl, stir to combine sugars, flour, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, baking soda, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, both oils and apple sauce. While continuously whisking with a whisk, add the dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth and combined. Stir in the grated carrot and chopped walnuts.
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bake
Pour the carrot cake mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 180 °C / 350 °F. When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven, and bring it to room temperature.
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frosting
Mix powdered sugar, melted butter, and rum in a bowl. Mix for 5 minutes, then add in the cream cheese. Continue to mix for 3 - 4 minutes to get a smooth cream. Spread the cream over the cooled carrot cake. Grate the orange zest on top. Cut into slices and serve.
