Discover the 3 Best Carrot Cake Recipes from Scratch

If you’re a fan of carrot cakes, it’s essential to have an arsenal of unique and delicious recipes that will impress and delight your friends and family. In this article, we’ll present three fabulous carrot cake recipes from scratch that are perfect for various occasions and taste preferences. Get ready to amp up your culinary skills with these mouth-watering carrot cake masterpieces!

1. Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• For the cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups grated carrots (approximately 5-6 medium carrots)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• For the homemade cream cheese frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate medium-sized bowl, beat eggs with sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Then, fold in the grated carrots, walnuts or pecans (if using), and raisins (if using) until evenly distributed.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and spread it evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
5. Cool the cakes in their pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
6. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the homemade cream cheese frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating well until the desired consistency is reached.
7. Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost the top of one cake layer and then stack the second layer on top. Proceed to frost the entire cake and, if desired, decorate with additional chopped nuts or other garnishes.

2. Spiced Carrot Cake with Orange Glaze

Ingredients:

• For the spiced cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp grated orange zest (from about two oranges)
  • 3 cups loosely packed grated carrots (approximately 5-6 medium carrots)
• For the orange glaze:
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed from the zested oranges)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and orange zest until well incorporated.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the grated carrots, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. While the cake is cooling, whisk together orange juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract (if using) in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. Once the cake has cooled completely, poke holes all over the surface with a toothpick or fork. Slowly drizzle the orange glaze evenly over the entire cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.

3. Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Toasted Coconut Frosting

Ingredients:

• For the gluten-free cake:
  • 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/4 cups coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp grated orange zest (from about one large orange)
  • 3 cups loosely packed grated carrots (approximately 5-6 medium carrots)
• For the Toasted Coconut Frosting:
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the grated carrots, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and spread it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
5. Cool the cakes in their pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
6. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the Toasted Coconut Frosting. In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in toasted coconut.
7. Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost the top of one cake layer and then stack the second layer on top. Proceed to frost the entire cake and, if desired, decorate with additional toasted coconut or other garnishes.