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Easy Budget-Friendly Carrot Cake Recipe for 12 Perfectly Moist Slices

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A simple, affordable, and moist carrot cake recipe perfect for sharing with family and friends. This recipe uses basic ingredients and yields twelve generous slices with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil (or light olive oil or melted coconut oil)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (about 4–5 medium) carrots, finely grated
  • 1 cup (100g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with butter or non-stick spray and lightly dust with flour.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently but thoroughly. Do not overmix.
  5. Fold in the finely grated carrots and chopped nuts if using. If batter is too stiff, add a splash of milk to loosen.
  6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Start checking at 40 minutes.
  8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well. Add vanilla extract and milk to reach desired consistency.
  10. Once the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting evenly on top. Slice into twelve pieces and serve.

Notes

If cake edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil halfway through baking. Use finely grated carrots for moist texture. Do not overmix batter to avoid dense cake. Use room temperature eggs for better emulsification. Frost cake only when completely cool to prevent melting.

Nutrition

Keywords: carrot cake, easy carrot cake, budget-friendly dessert, moist carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, simple carrot cake, homemade carrot cake

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/easy-budget-friendly-carrot-cake-recipe-for-12-perfectly-moist-slices/