Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 cupsall-purpose flour
• 2 tspbaking soda
• 1/2 tspbaking powder
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 2 tspground cinnamon
• 1/4 tspground nutmeg
• 4large eggs
• 1 1/2 cupsvegetable oil
• 1 cupgranulated sugar
• 1 cuppacked brown sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 3 cupsfinely grated carrots (about 4–5 medium carrots)
• 1 cupchopped walnuts, plus extra for garnish
• 8 ozcream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cupunsalted butter, softened
• 4 cupspowdered sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract (for frosting)

Nutrition / serving

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Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.

2. 2

   Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.

4. 4

   Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, then fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.

5. 5

   Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   ⏱Start 30:00
6. 6

   Cool the cakes in their pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

   ⏱Start 10:00
7. 7

   For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then gradually beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until light and spreadable.

8. 8

   Place one cake layer on a plate, spread with a layer of frosting, top with the second layer, then frost the top and sides. Garnish with extra chopped walnuts.