This carrot cake is delightfully moist, deliciously tender, and lightly sweet. We hope you’ll make it to celebrate our birthday with us, or to commemorate your next festive occasion!
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Ingredients
Carrot Cake: Makes 1 9-inch layer cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots (about 4 c)
- 1 cup Imperfect Maroo Raisins
- ¾ cup Imperfect Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 ¼ cups maple syrup
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 4 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 12 oz cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese), softened
- ½ cup salted butter (or vegan butter), softened
- 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk of choice
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9” round cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in grated carrots and raisins.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together oil, maple syrup, milk, eggs and vanilla.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans.
- Bake cakes on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth. Add in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk and beat on low speed until combined, then beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
Assemble the Cake:
- Using a large serrated knife, cut off the tops of the cakes to create flat surfaces. Place a cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter. Cover the top evenly with frosting.
- Place the second cake layer on top and cover with frosting. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides.
- Chill the cake for 15-20 minutes before slicing. This will help keep the cake’s shape while cutting. Slice and enjoy!
Carrot Cake Recipe Notes and Variations
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- We made this cake with our beloved Imperfect Maroo Raisins, but you can switch those out for pecans, walnuts, or shredded coconut!
- Save time by grating carrots in a food processor. It’s much faster than grating by hand.
- Cover leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Want to make your groceries last longer?
Use our storage guide to waste less food and enjoy cooking more.
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