Carrot Walnut Cake Recipe (VIDEO)

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This Carrot Walnut Cake is fluffier than the traditional American carrot cake but it’s perfectly soft and moist. The cream cheese frosting has a marshmallow-like fluffiness that will make you want to lick the spatula, the whisk, the bowl and your fingers if needed ;). Why I love this carrot cake so darn much? It’s not overly sweet. Most store-bought carrot cakes throw you into a sugar coma after half a slice, but this one is just right; bite after delicious bite. Rave reviews all around (everyone ate alot of carrot cake this week).

My Mother-in-law shared this carrot walnut cake recipe with me and one of her friends shared it with her who inherited the recipe from her mother. This carrot cake has been enjoyed by several generations and I feel honored to pass it on to you! I baked it three times in 1 week and modified it only slightly to increase the amount of frosting, cut the baking soda in half and decrease the sugar. It was wonderful!

How to Make this Carrot Walnut Cake Recipe:

I hope you enjoy this video on how to make this “Rustic” Carrot cake 😉

Here’s the Print-friendly recipe. Be sure to print copies for all your friends!

Carrot Walnut Cake Video Recipe

4.81 from 127 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

This classic carrot walnut cake is perfectly soft and moist. The cream cheese frosting has a marshmallow-like fluffiness. Finally, a carrot cake that isn't too sweet!

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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Ingredients 

Servings: 16 slices of cake

Carrot Cake Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil or extra light olive oil
• 2 cups of all purpose flour * see notes
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups about 1 lb shredded carrots (grated on the large holes)

Frosting/Decor Ingredients:

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 1 stick, 8 Tbsp or 113 grams of butter, softened at room temp
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted on a skillet and coarsely chopped

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Instructions

How to Make the Carrot Walnut Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter two 9" round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

• In a stand mixer, whisk 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed 3 min until thick and fluffy. With mixer on medium speed, add 1 cup oil in a steady stream.
• Sift 1 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp baking powder into 2 cups of flour and whisk the dry ingredients together well. With the mixer on medium low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in fourths, scraping down the bowl as needed. Once flour is fully incorporated, use a spatula to fold in 3 cups of carrots just until evenly combined.
• Divide dough in to two round baking pans and bake at 350˚ for 30-35 min or until toothpick comes out clean (mine was perfect at 30 min). Let cake layers cool in their cake pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool to room temp on a wire rack before slicing layers in half.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Once cake layers are at room temp, make your frosting: With the wisk attachment on med/low speed, cream together 1 stick butter with 2 cups powdered sugar, scraping the bowl as needed (2-3 min).
• With the mixer medium speed, add cream cheese, one chunk at a time. After all the cream cheese is in, set the mixer to high speed and beat the frosting until smooth, fluffy and no lumps remain (5 minutes), scraping down the bowl a couple of times to make sure you don't have stray cream cheese stuck to the bowl.

How to Assemble the Best Carrot Cake:

• Place the first layer, cut-side-up on a cake platter. Spread enough frosting to cover the top and sprinkle with 2-3 Tbsp of chopped walnuts. Repeat with remaining cake layers and spread remaining frosting around the sides. Decorate the top layer with remaining chopped nuts around the top border and sides of the cake.

Notes

Time saving tip: use a food processor with the food grater attachment for quick shredding of your carrots.
* to measure flour, scoop into your measuring cup and scrape off the top.

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot and walnut cake, carrot walnut cake

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Let me know what you thought of the video – your feedback is super important to me! It took us an entire day to film this between baby’s naps but we sure enjoyed making it for you. P.S. Do you have any video recipe requests?