Carrot cake is one of those desserts that never fails to surprise with its juiciness and warm spices – especially when it's prepared according to a thoughtful recipe that balances sweetness, texture and flavor. In this version, freshly grated carrots, soft pastry dough and the delicately spicy aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg play the leading roles.
Carrot cake is not just reserved for special occasions. Treat yourself to it during the week when you crave something warm, sweet, and, above all, homemade.
But the icing on the cake is definitely the silky cream cheese frosting, whose delicate tartness perfectly complements the sweetness of the sponge cake, while the toasted pecans add that indispensable crunchy contrast. The result is a cake that is not only visually appealing, but also technically perfect and ready to impress even the most demanding sweet tooth.
Carrot cake with cream cheese
Ingredients
- Ingredients for sponge cake
- 4 eggs
- 240 ml vegetable oil
- 200 g white sugar
- 200 g of brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 120 ml unsweetened applesauce
- 3 cups (about 300 g) grated carrots
- 1 cup (about 100 g) chopped pecans, lightly toasted strong>Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- 115 g butter, softened
- 225 g cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups (about 480 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup (about 100 g) chopped pecans for sprinkling
Directions
- To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 175 °C.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, both sugars, and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix well.
- Stir in applesauce, grated carrot, and pecans.
- Pour the mixture into a 23 × 33 cm baking pan lined with baking paper and bake for 40–50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- Cover the cooled cake with frosting and sprinkle with pecans, if desired.
