BA's Best Carrot Cake
A classic, moist carrot cake made with freshly grated carrots, warming spices, and optional rum-soaked raisins, all topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. This two-layer cake is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and finished with a smooth, tangy frosting.
Ingredients
- •1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- •½ cup golden raisins
- •3 tablespoons dark rum
- •1 cup chopped walnuts
- •1 pound carrots
- •1 cup buttermilk
- •2½ cups all-purpose flour
- •2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- •2 teaspoons ground ginger
- •½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- •2 teaspoons baking powder
- •1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- •¾ teaspoon baking soda
- •4 large eggs
- •1 cup granulated sugar
- •¾ cup dark brown sugar
- •2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- •¾ cup vegetable oil
- •12 ounces cream cheese
- •¾ cup unsalted butter
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- •4 cups powdered sugar
- •1 portion Candied Carrot Coins
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with nonstick spray. If using raisins and rum, heat together in a small saucepan over low just until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed and raisins are plump, 15-20 minutes.
20 min
- 2.
Meanwhile, toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes; let cool. Combine carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl.
10 min
- 3.
Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins, if using, and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pans.
15 min
- 4.
Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely.
45 min
- 5.
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5 min
- 6.
Place 1 cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively. Top with Candied Carrot Coins, if desired.
40 min