Moist, dense, rich, and spicy! What’s not to love? Make this carrot cake recipe anytime, but remember to make it extra special for Easter. Add some crushed nuts around the cake for decoration, or add a wow factor with Easter cookies, attaching with extra frosting.

Makes one 8-inch cake

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ cups carrot, grated
• 1 (4-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup toasted coconut
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese
• 2 sticks salted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Carrot Cake

1. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper; lightly grease and flour. Set pans aside.
2. Stir together dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and buttermilk at a medium speed until smooth. Add flour mixture, one-third at a time, beating at low speed after each addition. Fold in carrot, pineapple, raisins, coconut, and walnuts. Divide batter equally into prepared cake pans.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes away clean.
5. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.
2. In a large clean bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until pale and soft. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing after each addition to fully incorporate. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Trim and torte each layer of cake, placing the first layer on a serving plate and spooning on a generous layer of frosting. Add the second layer and more frosting. Add the final layer and chill for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the refrigerator and cover with the remaining frosting.

This recipe originally appeared in the March/April 2020 issue of American Cake Decorating.