Best Carrot Cake Recipe

The best carrot cake recipe! Easy to make with simple ingredients, this homemade carrot cake is moist with a perfect crumb and frosted with the best cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup salted butter melted
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup carrots finely grated
• 1 cup add-ins (crushed pecans, walnuts, raisins, etc.) (optional)
• Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 round 6” cake pans with parchment paper (trace the bottom on parchment with “handles” like this =o= see photos/video) and grease the sides.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.

Add eggs, applesauce, and vanilla and whisk to combine.

Add dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

Stir in carrots and desired mix-ins (optional) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans (about 1 ½ cups of batter per pan) and spread the batter in an even layer in each pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is set and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the cake pans for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting by following this recipe: cream cheese frosting

Assemble the cake

When the cake is cooled, spread the frosting in between the cake layers, then all around the outside of the cake. Pipe designs if desired, and garnish with chopped nuts, etc.

Chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Then serve cold or at room temperature.