Easy Carrot Cake

This Easy Carrot Cake Recipe is a game-changer. It's incredibly moist, packed with warm spices and studded with crunchy pecans and sweet crushed pineapple. Layered with a luscious vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and topped with crunchy pecan praline, it's a delicious dessert or sweet tea-time treat.

Course Baking, Cake

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake recipe, easy carrot cake, easy carrot cake recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 396kcal

Author Alida Ryder

Ingredients

1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup (175ml) pineapple juice drained from crushed pineapple
2¾ cup (300g) flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp allspice
15 oz (430g) canned crushed pineapple drained and juice reserved
2 cups (4 medium) carrots grated on fine side of box grater
1 cup (100g) chopped pecan nuts

For the Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup (115g) butter softened
8.8 oz (250g) cream cheese softened
3¼ cups (400g) powdered sugar/icing sugar sifted
2 tsp vanilla paste
2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt

For the Pecan Praline (optional)

½ cup (100g) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (100g) pecan nuts roughly chopped
pinch of salt

Instructions

Make The Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and grease and line a half sheet pan (18in x 13in x 2in /45cm x 33cm x 5cm) with parchment paper.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, reserved pineapple juice, vanilla and sugar.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Fold in the grated carrots, chopped pecans and drained crushed pineapple.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan then place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Turn the cake out onto a large chopping board or a clean surface then carefully cut into 4 equal rectangles.

Make The Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Ensure both are at room temperature before starting.
Add the vanilla and mix for another minute.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.
Add the lemon juice and salt and mix in.

Make The Pecan Praline

Melt the sugar in a frying pan set over medium heat, keep an eye on the caramel as it can easily burn.
Once the sugar starts melting, gently stir with a spatula and allow to turn amber in color. Stir in the cinnamon, salt and pecan nuts then mix to combine.
Transfer the pecans to a sheet of parchment paper and allow to cool and harden then roughly chop to break up the pieces.

Assemble The Cake

Layer the pieces of cake together with the cream cheese frosting on a serving platter or cake stand.
Top with a few handfuls of the pecan praline then refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

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