Moist Spiced Carrot Cake (Printable)

A moist, spiced cake filled with carrots, nuts, and pineapple, finished with a smooth cream cheese topping.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 1 cup vegetable oil
11 - 4 large eggs
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - 2 cups grated carrots
14 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
15 - 1 cup well-drained crushed pineapple
16 - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

17 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
19 - 2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until well combined.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time into the sugar-oil mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Gently fold grated carrots, chopped nuts, crushed pineapple, and optional raisins into the batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; beat until light and fluffy.
10 - Once cakes are fully cooled, spread frosting between layers and cover the top and sides evenly.
11 - Optionally, decorate with extra chopped nuts or grated carrot as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It stays impossibly moist for days, somehow better the next morning with your coffee.
  • The spice blend hits differently than you'd expect—warm but not heavy, like autumn wrapped in cream cheese.
  • One cake feeds a room, and everyone asks for the recipe before the last bite is gone.
02 -
  • Drained pineapple is the difference between a moist cake and a soggy one—this lesson was learned the hard, wet way.
  • Softened cream cheese and butter make frosting smooth; cold ingredients turn it into a lumpy frustration that's nearly impossible to spread.
  • Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the most common mistake, and it results in a tight, tough cake that tastes more like a sponge than velvet.
03 -
  • Grate your carrots fresh, squeeze them gently to remove excess moisture, and measure tightly packed for consistency—this single step changes everything about the final texture.
  • If you're short on time but want maximum flavor, bloom the dried spices in a tablespoon of melted butter before adding them to the dry ingredients; it deepens their intensity beautifully.
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