Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling - Easy and Delicious (Vegtasty Carrot Cake)

Today, we will show you how to whip up a super moist and fragrant carrot cake. This tall cake has four layers, but we’ll bake it as one layer on a baking sheet to save time. It’s really easy, and you only need simple ingredients.

Ingredients (10 servings, total cake weight: 1540 g, size: 14/17 cm / 5.5/6.7 inches, height: 9 cm / 3.5 inches):

For the Batter:
4 medium eggs (approx. 60 g each)
200 g brown sugar; you can substitute it with white sugar
150 g odorless vegetable oil (we use sunflower oil)
300 g grated carrots (around 350 g unpeeled)
250 g all-purpose flour

Spices:
Zest one medium orange
2 tsp cinnamon (10 g)
⅙ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt (3 g)
½ tsp baking soda (2 g)
2 tsp baking powder (10 g) - The batter is thick, so you need both baking soda and baking powder. Don’t skip or swap — they work together!
8 g vanilla sugar

Filling:
80 g nuts - we use walnuts
80 g raisins

For the Cream Cheese Filling:
500 g cream cheese
40 g maple syrup

How to Make Carrot Cake

00:00 - Intro

00:41 - Step 1: Prepare the Raisins
First, soak 80 g of raisins in warm water for 15-20 minutes. This will plump them up nicely. After soaking, squeeze the extra moisture and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside for later.

00:57 - Step 2: Prep the Walnuts
Add 80 g of nuts to a pan and toast them over medium heat without oil for about 5 minutes, mixing constantly. Then, chop them into medium-sized pieces to enjoy a bit of crunch in every bite.

01:06 - Step 3: Grate the Carrots
Now, let’s move on to the carrots. You’ll need 300 g of grated carrots (about 350 g before peeling). Grate them finely so they mix well into the batter. Add the zest of one medium orange to the grated carrots, but only the yellow part! Avoid the white pith since it can make your cake bitter. Mix the carrots and zest together, then set them aside.

01:26 - Step 4: Make the Egg Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, crack open 4 medium eggs (around 60 g each). Add 200 g of brown sugar. You can substitute white sugar if you prefer. Add 8 g of vanilla sugar for that extra hint of sweetness. Whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 3-5 minutes until well combined and fluffy. Then, mix 150 g of sunflower oil (or any other odorless vegetable oil) until smooth.

01:48 - Step 5: Mix Flour and Spices
In a separate bowl, measure out 250 g of all-purpose flour. Add 2 tsp (10 g) of cinnamon, ⅙ tsp of nutmeg, ½ tsp of salt (3 g), ½ tsp of baking soda (2 g), and 2 tsp (10 g) of baking powder. Give it a good mix so the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

01:53 - Step 6: Combine with Flour and Spices
Now, sift the flour and spice mixture directly into the egg mixture. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together. The batter is quite thick, but that’s exactly how we want it.

02:07 - Step 7: Add Carrots, Nuts, and Raisins
It's time to combine everything! Mix in the grated carrots, then fold in the chopped walnuts and soaked raisins. If you’re not a fan of raisins, feel free to swap them for other dried fruits or just leave them out altogether.

02:23 - Step 8: Bake the Cake
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the batter onto it. Spread it evenly with a spatula, ensuring it reaches all the edges. Pop it in the middle of the oven using the 'top and bottom heat' setting and bake for about 25 minutes. Check it with a toothpick; it should come out clean when the cake is done.

02:43 - Step 9: Cool and Cut the Cake
Once baked, let the cake cool for a bit. Then, trim off any dry, uneven edges. Don’t toss those trimmings! We’ll use them later for decoration. Cut the cake into four equal parts, carefully remove the parchment paper, and let the layers cool to room temperature.

03:05 - Step 10: Make Crumbs from Trimmings
Take the cake trimmings and crush them into fine crumbs. You can do this by placing them in a bag, closing it, and using a rolling pin or blitzing them in a blender. Set the crumbs aside for the final touch.

03:18 - Step 11: Prepare the Cream
Mix 500 g of cream cheese with 40 g of maple syrup in a bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy. This will be the perfect, slightly tangy frosting for your cake.

03:24 - Step 12: Assemble the Cake
Now for the fun part—assembling the cake! Divide the cream into 5 parts: 4 for the layers and 1 smaller portion for the sides. Spread a layer of cream between each piece of cake, stacking them as you go. Use the remaining cream to frost the sides. Finally, sprinkle the crushed crumbs all over the cake for that perfect finishing touch.

03:54 - Final Step: Chill and Enjoy
Pop the cake in the fridge for about 2 hours to let it set. Then, slice into your delicious homemade carrot cake and enjoy every bite!

More recipes on our website: https://vegtasty.com/