Carrot Cake (Basic Recipe)

This carrot cake recipe is so simple and easy to prepare and very delicious! It is a basic, classic recipe for preparing the famous carrot cake that you will love it. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil
• ¾ cup (175 ml) packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 3 cups (750 grams) finely grated carrots (around 1 lb./454 grams)

For the icing:

• ¼ cup (50 ml) butter, room temperature
• 4 cups (1 kg) icing sugar
• 1 cup (250 ml) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk, if needed

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease two 9-inch (23 cm) cake pans.

To make the cake:

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat sugars and oil until combined. Apply eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold in flour mixture into the egg mixture and combine just to incorporate. Add carrots. Then, divide batter evenly into the greased pans.
• Place in the oven and bake around 30-35 minutes or just until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes then take off the pans and cool entirely on wire cooling rack. Meanwhile, prepare the icing.

To make the icing:

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix butter and cream cheese. Apply icing sugar, one cup at a time. Mix well after each addition. Pour vanilla extract. Continue mixing until fluffy. Apply 1 tablespoon milk at a time to thin out icing if needed.

To assemble:

• Apply 1 cake layer on serving the dish and spread with icing, then top with remaining layer. To finish, spread top with remaining icing. Slice and serve.

Enjoy!