Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
This moist flavorful Carrot Cake is topped with a Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. This dessert is perfect for Easter...and any other time of the year!
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 668kcal
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups carrots peeled and grated (~4 medium carrots)
- 2 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, divided
- 2/3 cup raisins
For the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 4-6 cups powdered sugar
- orange and green food coloring gel
Instructions
For the Carrot Cake
- In the bowl of a countertop mixer with the paddle attached, add the vegetable oil and sugar. Mix until blended.
- Sift the remaining dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) together. Add 1/2 of this mixture to the bowl and mix until blended.
- Add 2 of the eggs and mix until blended.
- Add remaining dry mixture and mix until blended.
- Add remaining 2 eggs and mix until blended.
- Add carrots, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, and raisins and mix until blended.
- Divide batter evenly into 2 greased 9" cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool before frosting.
For the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a countertop mixer with the paddle attached, add the cream cheese and butter and cream until blended.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon and blend until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until desired sweetness and consistency is achieved. (I used 5 cups.)
- Beat on high for 1-2 minutes.
Assembling the Cake
- Toast the remaining chopped walnuts (1 1/2 cups) at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes. (Watch carefully as they will burn quickly!)
- Once carrot cakes are cooled, place one layer in the center of a large plate.
- Carefully frost the top of that layer and then place second layer on top.
- Frost the outer edge of the cake and then the top of the cake. (Reserve about 1 cup of frosting for the carrots!)
- Using a cupped hand, carefully push the toasted walnuts into the side of the cake.
- Divide the reserved frosting into two bowls and color the frosting orange and green.
- Using a pastry bag, pipe the carrots around the top of the cake (I piped 16 carrots as there are 16 slices in a 2-layer 9" round cake.)
Nutrition
Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 3811IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg
