Carrot Cake 🥕

Sure! Here's a recipe for a delicious homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting:

Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil

- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

- 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar

- 4 large eggs

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 3 cups (300g) grated carrots

- 1 cup (120g) chopped walnuts (optional)

- 1 cup (120g) raisins (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened

- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened

- 4 cups (500g) powdered sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Cake:

   - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or line them with parchment paper).

   - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

   - In a large bowl, beat together the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

   - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

   - Fold in the grated carrots, walnuts, and raisins (if using).

2. Bake the Cake:

   - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.

   - Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

   - Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting:

   - In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.

   - Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

   - Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

4. Assemble the Cake:

   - Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top.

   - Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Spread a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) over the entire cake and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

   - Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.

5. Serve:

   - Decorate the cake with additional chopped walnuts or grated carrot, if desired.

   - Slice and serve. Enjoy your homemade carrot cake!

Tips:

- For extra moistness, you can add 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple (drained) to the batter.

- If you prefer, you can bake the cake in a 9x13 inch pan. Adjust the baking time accordingly, about 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy baking and eating your delicious carrot cake!