Description
This Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is moist, flavourful, and full of warm spices. With a tender crumb, optional nuts for crunch, and a creamy frosting on top, it’s the perfect cake for any occasion. Serve it with a cup of tea or coffee, and you’ve got pure comfort on a plate.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
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300g carrots, grated
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250g plain flour
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200g caster sugar
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100g brown sugar
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1 tsp ground cinnamon
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½ tsp ground nutmeg
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1 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
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½ tsp salt
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3 eggs, lightly beaten
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180ml vegetable oil
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100g chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
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100g crushed pineapple, drained (optional, for extra moisture)
For the Frosting:
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75g butter, softened
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200g cream cheese, softened
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300g icing sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat & prepare tin
Preheat oven to 180°C (fan). Grease and line a 23cm round or square cake tin. -
Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Stir in caster and brown sugar. -
Mix wet ingredients
In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, and pineapple (if using). Stir in grated carrots. -
Combine & fold
Gradually fold wet mixture into dry mixture until combined. Stir in nuts if using. -
Bake the cake
Pour batter into tin. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. -
Make frosting
Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. -
Assemble
Spread frosting generously over cooled cake. Decorate with extra nuts if desired.
Notes
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You can skip the nuts for a nut-free version.
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Crushed pineapple is optional but adds extra moisture.
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For cupcakes, bake at 180°C for 18–20 minutes.
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Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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The cake can be frozen (unfrosted) for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes