Carrot Cake Layered Dessert (Printable)
Moist spiced carrot layers paired with rich cream cheese frosting, perfect for festive occasions.
# What You Need:
→ For the Carrot Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 cup vegetable oil
12 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
13 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
14 - 3 cups finely grated carrots
15 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
16 - 3/4 cup raisins
17 - 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
18 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened
19 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
20 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
21 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
22 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold in grated carrots, nuts, raisins, and pineapple until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
08 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beating until light and fluffy.
09 - Level cake layers if needed. Place one layer on a serving plate, spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost top and sides of cake.
10 - Decorate with extra chopped nuts or carrot curls if desired. Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese frosting is tangy enough to cut through all those warm spices without being cloying
- Three perfectly moist layers make this feel like something from a professional bakery but with zero stress
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are absolutely critical for both the cake batter and the frosting to emulsify properly
- Grate the carrots by hand rather than using food processor shreds which can be too chunky
03 -
- If your cakes have domed too much, use a serrated knife to level them before frosting
- Press chopped nuts gently into the sides of the frosted cake for a stunning finish