Classic Carrot Cake Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; grease the parchment and lightly flour the pans or dust with cocoa to prevent sticking.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the eggs until combined. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

Combine batter

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts (if using), shredded coconut (if using), and raisins (if using) until distributed evenly.

Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake on the center rack for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If using a single 9x13 pan, bake 35–45 minutes.

Cool

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, invert onto wire racks, remove parchment, and cool completely (about 1 to 1.5 hours) before frosting.

Beat base

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and room-temperature unsalted butter together on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add sugar and flavor

Reduce speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Once incorporated, add vanilla extract, fine salt and optional lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt as desired.

Consistency check

If the frosting is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until spreadable. If too thin, add a little more sifted sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Level and fill

If cake layers have domes, level them with a serrated knife or cake leveler. Place one layer on your serving plate or cake board. Spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the top of the first layer.

Stack and crumb coat

Place the second cake layer on top and apply a thin crumb coat (a light layer of frosting) over the entire cake to trap crumbs. Chill the crumb-coated cake in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to set.

Final frost and garnish

Apply the remaining frosting in an even final layer. Use an offset spatula to smooth the sides and top. Press toasted chopped walnuts or pecans around the base or scatter on top as garnish. Decorate with carrot ribbons or walnut halves if desired.

Serve & store

Slice and serve at room temperature. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days because of the cream cheese frosting. Allow slices to come to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for best flavor.