This post is all about how to make a Carrot Cake recipe with homemade cream cheese frosting.
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Published April 28, 2023
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My dad’s birthday was recent, and to celebrate we got together for a fun pool party. However, the snow put a damper on the arrival time, and it took us an extra twenty minutes to travel a few miles. The snow was heavy, and we ended up with over 14-inches in under 12-hours! Because of my food allergies, I need to avoid anything pre-baked, so I made the cake. Specifically, this Carrot Cake with a homemade Cream Cheese Frosting.
Another HUGE win from ATK
Since getting this cookbook from my MIL Christina many a years ago, SO many recipes have been cooked and baked from it that were complete wins. This recipe for a Carrot Cake and also Cream Cheese Frosting are both complete wins.
The cake is moist and scrumptious with a bold flavor.
Paired with the homemade cream cheese frosting that is light and fluffy, this Carrot Cake is an absolute win for any occasion. Check it out by clicking the link for Amazon below, and choose either the Hardcover copy or get it on the Kindle App.
Find these recipes for Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting both on page 755.
Carrot Cake Cost
Below is the cost breakdown to make this cake.
2 1/2 cups Flour $0.37
1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon $0.07
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder $0.06
1 tsp Baking Soda $0.03
1/2 tsp Salt $0.01
1/2 tsp Nutmeg $0.04
1/8 tsp Cloves $0.01
4 Eggs, room temperature $1.08
1 1/2 cups Sugar $0.43
1/2 cup Brown Sugar $0.14
1 1/2 cups Oil $0.72
1-pound Carrots $1.00
2 packages Cream Cheese $3.00
10 Tbsp unsalted Butter $1.20
2 Tbsp Sour Cream OR Greek Yogurt $0.12
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract $0.05
1/4 tsp Salt $0.01
2 cups Powdered Sugar $0.98
The total cost to make this recipe for Carrot Cake from the America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook is $9.32.
Birthday travels
This year, for my dad’s birthday, I made this Carrot cake. My brother, sister-in-law and two nephews met us and my parents at a hotel and played in the pool for the day.
With Wisconsin experiencing 6th winter, and us getting literally 14 inches of snow, we had to find a way to safely travel with the Carrot Cake. I have a nice cake stand, but not a travel-safe one.
In the scramble to get out of the house, I was trying to find a cake carrier and saw a GIANT Tupperware container sitting in our storage room. It was resting upside down, and I had the brilliant idea to use that for the cake. So, the Carrot Cake went on the inside of the lid and the bowl went ON TOP of the cake. This made a safe cake carrier, and I was stoked!
Recipe
Ingredients for Carrot Cake
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cloves
4 Eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Oil
1-pound Carrots
4 cups Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
2 packages Cream Cheese
10 Tbsp unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Sour Cream OR Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Salt
2 cups Powdered Sugar
Directions for Carrot Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the 9-inch springform pan on a piece of parchment paper and then cut it out.
3. Place the parchment paper circle into the bae of a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Spray a 9-inch round Springform Pan and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, measure and then add 2 1/2 cups Flour, 1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 1/8 tsp Cloves and whisk well to combine.
Why use a sifter for the dry ingredients? To help eliminate any clumps and also to pre-mix the ingredients before whisking. This isn’t that important; however, it can help to get rid of clumps that would otherwise not blend well into the batter.
6. To the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer, measure and add the 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups Sugar and 1/2 cup Brown Sugar.
Whisk the ingredients until it is light and fluffy.
7. While mixing, SLOWLY add the 1 1/2 cups Oil until combined and emulsified.
8. Mix in half of the dry ingredients until combined.
Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
9. On a cutting board, peel the carrots and then wash them in a sink colander.
10. Using a Cuisinart Food Processor, shred the carrots.
11. Add the carrots to the cake mixture in the KitchenAid mixer bowl.
12. Use a spatula to scrape down any dry bits to incorporate into the batter.
Bake the Carrot Cake
13. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan.
14. Lightly tap the pan onto the countertop three times to settle the batter and remove any bubbles.
15. Bake the Carrot Cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
16. Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest to cool completely on a cooling rack, around 2 hours.
17. Run a knife along the outside of the pan to release the cake from the pan.
18. Release the Carrot Cake from the springform pan and then rest it on the cooling rack.
19. Peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake.
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Cream Cheese Frosting Directions
Let the Butter and Cream Cheese rest on the counter to soften.
In a medium bowl, add the 2 packages Cream Cheese, 10 Tbsp Butter, 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt and 1/4 tsp Salt.
A few months ago, I made Homemade Vanilla Extract. It is easy and SO delicious.
With a hand mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth, around 2-4 minutes.
Measure and then add the 2 cups Powdered Sugar and mix on LOW until just combined, around 4-6 minutes.
When the dry is mixed in, beat an additional 4-6 minutes on medium-high speed.
20. If desired, cut the cake in half with a serrated knife and then spread 1 cup of the Cream Cheese frosting on the cake.
21. Replace the top layer on the cake and then spread the frosting over the rest of the cake with an offset spatula.
Cut and serve!
This post was all about how to make a homemade from scratch Carrot Cake recipe.
~Monica
Carrot Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch Round Springform Pan
- KitchenAid Mixer
- Cutting board
- Sink Colander
- Cuisinart Food Processor shredder blade
- Spatula
- Medium Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Cloves
- 4 Eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Oil
- 1 pound Carrot peeled, grated
- 4 cups Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Ingredients
- 2 packages Cream Cheese softened
- 10 Tbsp Butter unsalted, softened
- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream OR Greek Yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar 8-oz
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the springform pan on a piece of parchment paper and then cut it out.
- Place the parchment paper circle into the bae of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Spray a 9-inch round Springform Pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, measure and then add 2 1/2 cups Flour, 1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, 1/8 tsp Cloves and whisk well to combine.
- To the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer, whisk together the 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups Sugar and 1/2 cup Brown Sugar.
- While mixing, SLOWLY add the 1 1/2 cups Oil until combined and emulsified.
- Mix in half of the dry ingredients until combined, then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
- On a cutting board, peel the carrots and then wash them in a sink colander.
- Using a Cuisinart Food Processor, shred the carrots.
- Add the carrots to the cake mixture in the KitchenAid mixer bowl.
- Use a spatula to scrape down any dry bits to incorporate into the batter.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan.
- Lightly tap the pan onto the countertop three times to settle the batter and remove any bubbles.
- Bake the Carrot Cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest to cool completely on a cooling rack, around 2 hours.
- Run a knife along the outside of the pan to release the cake from the pan.
- Release the Carrot Cake from the springform pan and then rest it on the cooling rack.
- Peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake.
- If desired, cut the cake in half with a serrated knife and then spread 1 cup of the Cream Cheese frosting on the cake.
- Replace the top layer on the cake and then spread the frosting over the rest of the cake with an offset spatula.
- Cut and serve!
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Let the Butter and Cream Cheese rest on the counter to soften.
- In a medium bowl, add the 2 packages Cream Cheese, 10 Tbsp Butter, 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 2 Tbsp Greek Yogurt and 1/4 tsp Salt.
- With a hand mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth, around 2-4 minutes.
- Measure and then add the 2 cups Powdered Sugar and mix on LOW until just combined, around 4-6 minutes.
- When the dry is mixed in, beat an additional 4-6 minutes on medium-high speed.
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