With its super moist crumb, warm spiced tones, and velvety cream cheese frosting, this Carrot Cake is really the best. Add in walnuts for a deeper taste and texture of the cake.

Before we fully step into summer and delicious stone fruits come back to our tables, I invite you to bake this delightful carrot cake.
For me, carrot cake is one of those cakes you can enjoy all year round. Whether in autumn with a warm cup of tea or on a spring afternoon, carrot cake makes a perfect dessert.

Perfectly moist and soft, this carrot cake is super easy to make. The ingredient list is simple and affordable, and the best part is that you can whip it while you wait for your oven to preheat.

I have been baking carrot cake for years, especially around Easter, as it has become one of our new traditions. My recipe is soft, moist, and bursting with warm flavours. The cream cheese frosting is tangy and not too sweet, combining perfectly with the moist crumb of the cake.

I love tall cakes, so I usually bake a 20cm cake and divide the batter into four layers, but you can bake this cake in a larger round cake (and have two layers) or a rectangular medium pan.

WHAT do YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Carrots - always grate the carrots yourself, and don't buy pre-shredded because they will be too dry and won't hold enough moisture.

Flour - regular all-purpose flour is fine. Make sure to sift it, so there are no lumps.

Eggs - make sure your eggs are at room temperature for best results.

Oil - I use sunflower oil, but other flavorless vegetable oils can also work.

Baking powder - essential as we need our cake to rise.

Spices - a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg create that classic carrot cake flavor. You can also add a dash of ground ginger if you prefer.

Walnuts - I love adding chopped walnuts to this cake for deeper texture and taste. If you don't have them, you can also use pecans or hazelnuts. In case you use hazelnuts, make sure to toast them first.

Cream cheese - make sure it's at room temperature. I usually go for Philadelphia cheese.

Whipped cream - I mix cream cheese with whipped cream to have a light frosting. The ratio is 3:1 - 300g cream cheese to 100g whipped cream. 

Granulated sugar - I use regular sugar for this recipe, but you mix granulated sugar with brown sugar for a deeper flavor. 

Powdered sugar - to add a bit of sweetness to our frosting.

CARROT LAYER CAKE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Marija Gvozdenovic

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8-10 

For the Cake

4 eggs, room temperature, separated

180g granulated sugar

130ml sunflower oil

100ml milk, room temperature

300g finely shredded carrots

100g finely chopped walnuts

265g all-purpose flour

16g baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

FOR THE frosting

300g cream cheese (Philadelphia)

100ml whipped cream 

120g powdered sugar

100ml whipped cream for decoration (optional)

METHOD

Prepare the sponge cake:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease and flour your pan. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light yellow and frothy, about 3 minutes. Add in sunflower oil, milk and beat until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, add in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. With a spatula or wooden spoon, mix until just combined. Add in shredded carrots and chopped walnuts, and mix once again. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet (if you are using a smaller, 20cm round pan you will need to divide the batter, and first bake half of the batter then repeat with the remaining mix). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave to cool completely, then divide in 4 layers. 

Prepare the filling:

In a medium bowl whip the cream. Once soft peaks are formed, add in cream cheese, and whisk until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until completely incorporated.  Assemble the cake by placing the first layer on the serving dish, then cover it with 3-4 tablespoons of frosting. Repeat this process for all layers. You can leave your cake naked or whip additional 100ml of whipped cream, and cover the outer edges. 

Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. The cake can stay in the fridge up to 3 days, if placed in an airtight container. Slices of the cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

tips for making this recipe 

1. Don't add to much flour. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. 
2. Make sure you prepare your cake pans properly so the cake will release easily. I use these non-stick pans that work perfectly every time. 
3. The walnuts can be omitted. I love the crunch and depth of flavor they add though. 
4. If you use hazelnuts, make sure to toast them before adding to the mixture. Just spread out on a baking tray and bake at 180 C for about 10 minutes.Leave to cool, then chop finely and add to the mixture.
5. Grate your own carrots. Shredded carrots can be pre-bought but they are pretty dry and will affect the moist of the cake. Use traditional box grater or blender to finely grate carrots. 
6. Make sure all your refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature for the best results.
7. Spices can be omitted as well, but I love how the go with carrots and walnuts.