Moist Spiced Carrot Cake (Printable)

Moist and spiced cake bursting with carrots, nuts, and pineapple, topped with smooth cream cheese frosting.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1 cup vegetable oil
11 - 4 large eggs
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 to 4 medium)
14 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
15 - 1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained
16 - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
19 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture, beating after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
06 - Fold grated carrots, chopped nuts, pineapple, and raisins (if using) into the batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake 35–40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cooled cakes. Garnish with extra nuts or grated carrot if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays impossibly moist for days, thanks to the oil and crushed pineapple keeping every crumb tender.
  • The cream cheese frosting is thick enough to frost but soft enough to spread without cracking the cake.
  • You can have this ready from oven to table in just over an hour, yet it tastes like you spent all day on it.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cakes completely—warm cake crumbles when you try to frost it, and no amount of frosting will hide that.
  • Draining the pineapple thoroughly is non-negotiable; too much juice will make your batter wet and your cake dense instead of tender.
  • Room-temperature cream cheese and butter make all the difference between a frosting that spreads like silk and one that's lumpy and impossible to work with.
03 -
  • Toast your walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for three to four minutes before chopping—it's the difference between a good cake and one people actually remember.
  • If your cream cheese frosting breaks or looks grainy, it usually means the ingredients weren't at the same temperature; let everything come back to room temperature and start over with a clean bowl.
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