Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- 300 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 240 mL vegetable or canola oil
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 200 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 113 grams sour cream
- 230 grams shredded carrots
- 50 grams chopped pecans
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, half a medium lemon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 227 grams cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 480 grams powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
Method
Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F/177C and grease and line two 8-inch cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until they're well combined. Set aside.300 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugars. Add the eggs and sour cream and mix until it's smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients just until they're barely combined.240 mL vegetable or canola oil, 200 grams granulated sugar, 200 grams light brown sugar lightly packed, 4 large eggs room temperature, 113 grams sour cream
- Add the shredded carrots, chopped pecans, lemon zest and juice and fold them in until they're evenly distributed.230 grams shredded carrots, 50 grams chopped pecans, Zest of 1 medium lemon, 2 Tbsp lemon juice half a medium lemon
- Distribute the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for about 40 minutes, or until it springs back when you gently press on the center of it.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, allow them to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes and then invert them onto a tea towel or cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.*
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the room temperature butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat them together on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, until they're well combined. Make sure to scrape the edge of the bowl half way through.227 grams unsalted butter room temperature, 227 grams cream cheese room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- Add the salt and the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and mix on low speed, just until combined. Scrape the edge of the bowl and turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the cream cheese frosting for at least five minutes, until all of the sugar is fully dissolved and no longer feels gritty.1/8 tsp salt, 480 grams powdered sugar spooned and leveled
- If the buttercream is too soft to frost, refrigerate it for about 10-15 minutes, then remove it from the fridge, give it a good mix and refrigerate again for 10-15 minutes.
Assemble
- To frost the cake, place the first layer of cake on a flat surface and use 1/3 of the frosting to frost the first layer. Place the second layer on top and then refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, or until the cake feels firm enough to frost (make sure it's not wobbly).
- For the crumb coat, spread a thin layer of frosting over the chilled cake and refrigerate the cake for at least another 15-30 minutes, or until the frosting feels set.
- Place the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting around and then use a turntable and a cake scraper to create a smooth finish on the cake.
- Top with chopped nuts!
Notes
*It isn't necessary but carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is easier to frost with chilled cakes. To do this, once the cake layers have cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them for a couple hours or overnight.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 796kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 7gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 499mgFiber: 2gSugar: 65g