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–+ servings

Classic Southern Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

This is a moist, nutty, cinnamon-y carrot sheet cake with luscious cream cheese icing.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for Carrot Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 6 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 4 1/2 cups grated carrots about 10 medium carrots
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 cups cream cheese 2 8-ounce packages, softened
  • 6 tablespoons butter softened
  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice optional

Instructions
 

  • To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Or for carrot cake cupcakes, grease a cupcake tin, optionally lining with cupcake papers or parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda until incorporated. Set the dry ingredients aside.
  • In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugar and the oil in a large bowl on low speed. Slowly add the eggs to the bowl, mixing well on medium speed. At this point, you can’t overwork the batter. Make sure the eggs are completely incorporated.
  • Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the flour to the wet ingredients in two batches. Stir the carrot cake batter with a spoon until the flour is incorporated, but don't overwork it. Gently fold in the carrots and the nuts.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and begins to barely pull away from the side of the pan. Place the pan on a wire rack. Leave cake on cooling rack until completely cooled to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese and butter with the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix at medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla and mix until completely incorporated. Add orange juice if the frosting seems too thick.
  • Cover the entire cake with the frosting. Refrigerate the cake for about 20 minutes or until the frosting is set.
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