Ingredients
Carrot Cake
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots (almost a 1 lb bag)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups vegetable or canola oil
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans, or a 9×13 cake pan, and spray with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine and break up clumps.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or use a hand mixer and a bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Beat together for about 1 minute until it’s creamy and combined. With the mixer on LOW speed drizzle in the oil slowly to avoid splashing. Gradually increase the mixer speed and beat until it’s lighter in color and combined well. About 1 minute.
Add the shredded carrots and the dry ingredients into the bowl. Mix together on low speed just until combined. Divide the batter between the two round cake pans, or put it all into the 9×13 dish.
Bake the 9″ round cake pans for 30-32 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Bake the 9×13 dish for 40-45 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely in the 9×13 pan. For the round cake pans, let cool for about 15 minutes in the pans and then invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and let refrigerate overnight (preferred) or at least 6 hours. It’s much easier to frost a cold cake!
MAKE THE FROSTING: Add softened cream cheese, softened butter, sour cream, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Beat together for 1 minute on high speed. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula as needed. Add the powdered sugar and beat together until combined and fluffy. Frost layered cake with the round baking pans, or spread evenly on top of the 9×13 cake. Top with the chopped pecans.
Cover the cake loosely with tin foil and let it refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving (or longer!). This cake is best served cold but of course, it can also be eaten right away too.