Julie Recipes
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake:
▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
▢ 1 cup packed brown sugar
▢ 4 large eggs
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 3 cups grated carrots about 4-5 medium carrots
▢ 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
▢ 1 cup raisins optional
▢ 1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
▢ 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
▢ 4 cups powdered sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1-2 tablespoons milk if needed for consistency
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
Mix Wet Ingredients:
In a large bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Combine Ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Fold in the grated carrots, nuts, raisins, and crushed pineapple (if using).
Bake the Cakes:
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Assemble the Cake:
Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of cream cheese frosting on top.
Place the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate with additional chopped nuts, if desired.
Serve:
Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set.
Serve the cake chilled or at room temperature.
