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–+ servings
cut carrot cake on marble cake stand with yellow flowers and eucalyptus stems on top, with glasses behind, white flower around, a white cheese cloth beside, and a plate with yellow flowers in front.

Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

4.34 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Traci Crossland
The perfect cake to make for Easter! This delicious and moist Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is easy, full of flavor, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Bonus? This cake is made in two bowls, ready in about 1 hour, and tastes SO. GOOD.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2½ cups all purpose flour*
  • 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅔ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅞ teaspoon salt
  • 1⅞ cups vegetable oil
  • 5 large eggs room temperature
  • 3¾ cups grated carrots

Frosting

  • 1 cup heavy cream cold
  • 1 cup cream cheese cubed
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake

  • Heat oven to 350℉.
  • Spray three 8 inch round pans with baking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together oil and eggs.
  • Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
  • Mix until well combined.
  • Fold in carrots.
  • Divide evenly among pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until done.
  • Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes.
  • Turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling.

Frosting

  • Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks.
  • With the mixer running, add cream cheese one cube at a time.
  • Mix in powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth.

Assembly

  • Level cake layers, if needed.
  • Place one cake layer on cake plate and spread with a layer of frosting.
  • Repeat with second layer.
  • Add third layer.
  • Frost entire cake.
  • Decorate as desired.

Notes

*This recipe was written using an average of the dip and sweep method for measuring flour and the spoon and level method. If you are using a scale, you will need to add 3/4 oz or 22 g  to the measurement for each cup of flour.
Tips For Success:
  • You can use shredded or grated carrots for this recipe.
  • 1 cup cream cheese is equal to an 8-oz. block.
  • Check the expiration dates on your spices!
  • Do not over-mix the cake batter.
  • This cake doesn't brown very much. It's best to use a cake tester or a thermometer to see when the cake is done.
  • Let this cake cool completely before frosting.
  • If you want to pipe the cream cheese frosting, you will need refrigerate it, as it may be too soft to pipe as soon as you make it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SliceCalories: 765kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 7gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 21gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 406mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 2gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 7342IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.