Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This is the perfect cake for any special occasion. The recipe makes a 2-layer cake, a 9” x 13” sheet cake, or 24 cupcakes.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Prep time:
30 mins
Cook time:
45-50 mins
Servings:
24
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- ¾ unsweetened applesauce
- 4 tsp. vanilla
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 - 8 oz. can crushed pineapple (drained)
- 3 cups shredded carrots (coarsely chopped)
- 2 cups sweetened coconut
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- 1 ¼ cups softened plant-based butter (use sticks – not spread)
- 2 - 6 oz. containers Shire’s Cream Cheese
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Soften plant-based butter sticks on the counter while cakes are baking (do NOT use microwave).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 - 9” cake pans with plant-based butter and lightly coat with flour. Cut two 9” rounds of parchment paper and line the bottom of each cake pan. For a sheet cake, grease, and flour a 13” x 9” pan, or for cupcakes, insert paper liners into 24 cupcake tins.
- Beat the sugar, oil, and applesauce together. Add the 2 tsp. vanilla, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until smooth.
- Add carrots, pineapple, coconut, and nuts and manually stir until well-mixed.
- Pour into 2 round pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, then turn layers onto wire racks to cool. For sheet cake, increase baking time to 45-50 minutes. For cupcakes, decrease baking time to 25-30 minutes.
- While cakes are cooking, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter sticks with the 2 containers of Shire’s Cream Cheese.
- Add 2 tsp. Vanilla and 1 cup confectioner’s sugar. Slowly add more confectioner’s sugar as needed and beat until the frosting is soft and fluffy. Spread on cooled layers, sheet cake, or cupcakes.