Spiced Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect way to spice up the traditional carrot cake. It’s 3 layers of homemade Spiced Carrot Cake, frosted and filled with fluffy Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting.
Spiced Carrot Cake Spices
I’d like to introduce the star spices that take this Spiced Carrot Cake to the next level!
- ground cinnamon
- freshly ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
Great Additions to Spiced Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans or walnuts(add with the carrots)
- 1 cup raisin(add with the carrots)
Baker’s Note: If you add nuts and raisins increase baking time by about 10 minutes.
How to Achieve Super-Smooth and Lump Free Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make sure your cream cheese is very soft.
- Add the cream cheese after all other ingredients have been beaten well.
How to Make Candied Carrots
- 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/6 cups water
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots
For the full recipe check out my favorite YouTuber Ann Reardon from How To Cook That!
Plan It Out
- Day 1: Bake Spiced Carrot Cake layers
- Day 2: Prepare Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting, assemble cake and serve.
How to Store Spiced Carrot Cake
Store assembled cake in an airtight cake container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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Spiced Carrot Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Homemade Spiced Carrot Cake flavored with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and carrots. Topped with fluffy Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting.
Ingredients
SPECIAL TOOLS
- 2 or 3 8-inch round cake pans
- Nonstick baking spray
- Stand mixer
- Carrot crisps for garnish (optional)
CAKE
- 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 pound carrots, peeled, shredded
- 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups (18 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 vanilla bean pods, split in half, seeds scraped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 3 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, cut into squares and softened
Instructions
CARROT CAKE
- Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside. Adjust an oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to medium and add the oil in slowly, pouring the oil in against the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low if oil starts to splash out of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to high and mix until the mixture is light in color and is combined, about 1 minute.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the carrots, flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt by hand until no dry bits of flour remain.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans, tapping lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely, about 2 hours.
VANILLA BEAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds, lemon juice and salt. Reduce the speed to low and beat for 1 minute.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not over beat or the frosting will become soupy.
ASSEMBLE
- Place one cake layer on a cake turntable or cake pedestal and top with 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting. Top with the second cake layer and add another 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting on top. Place the third cake layer on top and apply a thin layer of frosting on top and on the sides of the cake, for a crumb coat. Chill cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Place a few carrot crisps on top of the cake for decoration. Serve.
Notes
CAKE STORAGE: Cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
FROSTING STORAGE: The frosting will keep covered at room temperature for up to 6 hours, and then refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Bring chilled frosting to room temperature and beat on low speed to soften.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1339Total Fat: 113gSaturated Fat: 43gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 62gCholesterol: 289mgSodium: 816mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 3gSugar: 30gProtein: 14g
*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*
