What makes for the best carrot cake recipe may be a hotly contested topic; hopefully, we can all agree that the classic dessert should have moist layers that are warmly (but not overly) spiced. Ideally, those layers should be studded with a few choice ingredients to keep the texture interesting. The one nonnegotiable: carrot cake must be cloaked in a layer of silky cream cheese frosting so thick someone might mistake it for a cheesecake.
To achieve our dream carrot cake, we stripped the dessert of all nonessentials. Crushed pineapple? Gone. Coconut? No more. The two add-ins we left in the mixing bowl were golden raisins and toasted walnuts. Plumped with rum, the raisins add juicy, sweet pops of flavor throughout the layer cake. Anti-raisin? Leave them out if you must. However, we found the walnuts to be a key textural component, offsetting the supremely tender crumb (pecans make a worthy substitute).
We streamlined the spices, too, but turned up the volume on each for maximum impact. Cinnamon and ground ginger take the lead, while a whisper of nutmeg adds a woodsy, floral balance that beautifully complements the earthy-sweet shredded carrots. When selecting your carrots, opt for medium-size ones (larger carrots can be starchy and bland) and shred them on the small holes of a box grater or with the grating disc of a food processor—large shreds of grated carrot may not soften adequately in the time it takes the layers to bake.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
Cake
½
3
1
1
1
2½
2
2
½
2
1½
¾
4
1
¾
2
¾
Frosting and Assembly
340
¾
1
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Cake
Step 1
Place rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter round cake pans with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with more nonstick vegetable oil spray. Heat ½ cup (75 g) golden raisins (if using) and 3 Tbsp. dark rum (if using) in a small saucepan over low heat just until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed and raisins are plump, 15–20 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, toast 1 cup (113 g) chopped walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Combine 1 lb. carrots, peeled, coarsely grated and 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature, in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Whisk 2½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 2 tsp. baking powder, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¾ tsp. baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer (a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer with beaters will work) on high speed, beat 4 large eggs, room temperature, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (packed; 150 g) dark brown sugar, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in ¾ cup vegetable oil. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins, if using, and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape cake batter into prepared pans.
Step 4
Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto cooling rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely (about 2 hours).
Frosting and Assembly
Step 5
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, and ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla extract and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in 4 cups (454 g) powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Place 1 cake layer, domed side down, on a platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides of the cake with 1¼ cups frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively. Garnish top of the cake with Candied Carrot Coins, if desired.