Desserts

Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1/12 of the cake
Course: Dessert

Description

This classic carrot cake is moist and flavorful, packed with crunchy California walnuts. The fluffy cream cheese frosting provides the perfect finishing touch.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 730 kcal
• Total Fat: 37 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 15.9 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg
• Sodium: 390 mg
• Carbohydrates: 96 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 76 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Vitamin D: 0 mcg
• Calcium: 100 mg
• Iron: 2 mg
• Potassium: 250 mg

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup California walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped or broken
• 450 g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package (225 g / 8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Optional garnish: Chopped California walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 23 cm round cake pans with nonstick spray and lightly flour them; shake out any excess flour.
• To prepare the cake, beat the oil, vanilla extract, and eggs with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the sugars and continue beating until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the egg mixture and beat until just combined. Fold in the walnuts and carrots with a spatula.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• Loosen the edges with a thin spatula and remove the cakes from the pans.
• For the frosting, beat the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until light and fluffy.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread about half of the frosting on top. Add the second layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top. Garnish with walnuts if desired.
• Decoration tip: This frosting recipe is sufficient for the top and middle of the cake. If you would like to frost the entire cake, you can double the recipe.