Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

When I made the switch to real food, it really affected the way we celebrated birthdays. In the old days, we used to pick up a cake from the grocery store, top it with some candles, and start singing the birthday song.

But since the ingredients in the cakes we used to buy are not always healthy (preservatives, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, MSG, etc.), we can no longer go that route for birthdays.

So instead of unhealthy cake, the usual request for a birthday cake is this extremely moist and flavorful homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Aside from how easy it is to make, it’s full of flavor and is the perfect substitute for birthday cake.

I’m pretty sure this cake takes a little longer to bake than a regular chocolate/white cake would, but that’s because it’s more of a sweet bread than a cake. And the cream cheese frosting adds to the sweetness of it, making it sweet enough to be cake.

One thing I love to do when I’m making this cake for a large get-together is make two cakes, double (or even triple) the frosting, and stack the cake in layers! So then it’s a two-layer homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. You can make the slices thinner to serve more people (since there’s double the cake in one slice). 

Whether you’re making this cake for a special occasion or you just want to indulge in something a little healthier, this homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is sure to blow you away.

Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake or 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unbleached pure cane sugar
• 2/3 cup (5 1/2 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 3 medium carrots, grated
• OPTIONAL: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
• 4 ounces (1/2 brick) cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Dust with flour; tap out excess. In a small bowl, mix together the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat together sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is combined before adding another. On low speed, add in flour mixture and milk into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir in carrots and walnuts, if using. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until combined.

Place cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread cream cheese frosting over the top and sides.