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Moist carrot cake slice with cream cheese frosting on a white plate

Cozy Carrot Cake

A warm and comforting carrot cake featuring tender crumbs, spiced sweetness, and creamy frosting, perfect for celebrations or quiet moments.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (1 cup for cake, 1 cup for garnish) Pecans or walnuts work well. Reserve half for garnish.
  • 1.5 cups packed light or dark brown sugar Dark brown sugar adds richer molasses notes.
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil Oil keeps the cake moist.
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature Room temperature helps achieve better mixing.
  • 0.75 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce Adds moisture while reducing oil.
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled Measure flour correctly to avoid dryness.
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups grated carrots (about 4 large) Freshly grated for best texture.
For the Frosting
  • 16 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature Ensures the frosting is creamy and stable.
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar Add more if frosting is too thin.
  • 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt, to taste

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the chopped pecans (or walnuts) on it. Bake for 6–8 minutes until fragrant, then cool for 10–15 minutes.
  2. Grease two or three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla until combined.
  4. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Fold in the carrots and 1 cup of the toasted nuts.
Baking
  1. Pour/spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 20–25 minutes for three pans or 30–35 minutes for two pans, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  2. Cool the cakes in the pans for 1 hour, then remove from the pans and cool completely on a rack.
Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt, then beat until creamy.
Assembly
  1. Slice the top off each cake to create a flat surface. Assemble cakes with frosting between layers, then frost the top and sides.
  2. Garnish with remaining toasted nuts. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For a more complex flavor, toast nuts briefly before adding to the batter.