This delicious one layer carrot cake is easy to make, moist, tender and packed with the warmth of cinnamon and the crunch of chopped pecans in each bite. Pair it with this fluffy cream cheese frosting and you have yourself a delicious treat perfect for smaller gatherings and celebrations.

There’s something magical about carrot cake. There’s just so much texture and flavor that explodes in every bite. Most of its flavor comes from carrots, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. And then this Cream Cheese Frosting is EVERYTHING! Thick, creamy, smooth and fluffy – not runny, watery and too sweet. Truly love at first bite.

This is truly a hassle free and easy way to make carrot cake. Perfect for baking with kids, or a small spring baking project. This cake tastes even better the next day, when the spices have developed their full flavor making this cake cozy and warm.

You can watch me and Nawwara baking this delicious cake on my Instagram highlights @leena.ali.

Single layer carrot cake

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• Flour- 1 1/2 cups
• Brown sugar- 3/4 cup, packed
• White, granulated sugar- 1/4 cup
• Vegetable oil- 3/4 cup
• Baking powder- 1 tsp
• Baking soda- 1 tsp
• Sour cream or full fat Greek yoghurt- 1/4 cup
• Eggs- 2 large, room temperature
• Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
• Cinnamon powder- 1 tsp
• Nutmeg powder- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- a pinch
• Carrots- 2 cups, grated (3 large carrots)
• Pecans- 1/2 cup, chopped

For the cream cheese frosting:

Cream cheese- 4oz (room temperature)

Butter- 1/4 cup, unsalted (room temperature)

Powdered sugar- 3/4 cup, sifted

Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease, flour and line with parchment paper a 9″ springform pan.

Make sure all the room temperature ingredients have been sitting at room temperature for atleast 30 minutes.

In a bowl, sift flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the brown and white sugar really well with the vegetable oil. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Add in sour cream and vanilla extract.

Now mix the dry flour mixture in two batches to the wet mixture. Fold with spatula.

Add the grated carrots and pecans. Fold well till mixture becomes uniform.

Pour in the prepared baking pan and put it in the oven.

Bake for atleast 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and let it cool for an hour.

Prepare frosting in the meantime. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric beater or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat well till mixture is pale and fluffy.

Add in the vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar. Keep whisking till frosting is fully and uniform. Scrape the bowl as needed.

Slather the frosting on the cooled carrot cake.

Cake will keep, well-wrapped in the fridge, for up to 4 days.

I highly recommend grating the carrots by hand using a box grater, which sounds like a lot of work but in reality doesn’t take that long at all since it only needs 2-3 large carrots.

Hope you enjoy making this delicious, moist and tender carrot cake. I would love to receive your feedback so please leave me a comment if you tried my recipe.

With love,

Leena 💕