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A beautifully presented slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, served on a light plate with a golden fork.
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Carrot Cake

A classic carrot cake recipe with a creamy cream cheese frosting, featuring grated carrots and optional pecans for a delightful texture. Perfect for any occasion.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: The Bright Food

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 9x13-inch pan
  • Large bowl
  • Electric mixer
  • Wire rack
  • Toothpick

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1.25 cups vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup chopped pecans optional

For the Frosting

  • 0.5 cup softened butter
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans optional

Instructions

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with an electric mixer until well combined.
  • Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the grated carrots, then gently fold in the pecans.
  • Pour the prepared batter into your greased and floured pan.
  • Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the frosting, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and creamy.
  • Stir the chopped pecans into the finished cream cheese frosting.
  • Once the cake is completely cooled, frost it and serve.

Notes

Ensure cake is completely cooled before frosting. Pecans are optional and can be omitted if preferred.