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Carrot Cake Recipe from Scratch

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
If you love carrot cake, you will love this carrot cake from scratch. Moist and delicious, this carrot cakes is packed with carrot flavor and topped with an amazing cream cheese frosting. Sprinkled with walnuts, this carrots cake poke cake is sure to please.

Ingredients  

For the Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 12 1/2 ounces
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 pound medium carrots, 6 to 7 carrots, peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 10 1/2 ounces
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 3 1/2 ounces
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

For the Drizzle:

  • 1 12-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

For the Frosting:

  • 8 ounces butter, at room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped finely and toasted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the cake from the pan) Butter the parchment.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
  • Using the large holes of box grater shred carrots (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.
  • In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat granulated and brown sugars and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top of the cake. You can use the end of a wooden spoon, a skewer, the tines of a fork, etc. Slowly pour the can of condensed milk all over the top of the cake, making sure to drizzle it evenly all over the top. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
  • To make the Frosting: Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Author: Laura