Best Carrot Cake Recipe

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This is my favorite carrot cake recipe. It’s decadent, moist, light, and airy, yet loaded with shredded carrots, fruits, and nuts. Today, I filled this layer cake with delicious apricot filling and frosted it with my Swiss meringue buttercream.

This has been a busy cake week. I had one wedding cake and two, anniversary cakes on order. And, I also made a cake for Ziv’s niece who celebrated her 10th birthday. So, we made her this carrot cake filled with her favorite Apricot filling and then piped ruffles with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. Who says you can’t have a carrot birthday cake, right?

About this carrot cake

This is my favorite carrot cake, which was featured in American Cake Decorating magazine. It’s rich, moist, light, and airy, but best of all, it’s got the perfect ratio of carrots, fruits, and nuts.

Previously, I shared everyone’s favorite carrot cake with my no-butter cream cheese frosting. This one is filled with apricot filling and decorated with ruffles made of Swiss meringue buttercream.

The recipe is pretty simple, easy, and quick. Oil contributes to a light and airy cake in this recipe, and the raisins and nuts work perfectly to complement the carrots.

Ingredients and substitutes

• All-purpose Flour – Most carrot cakes use cake flour, but I have tried and tested my recipes many times and they also work great with all purpose flour.
• Carrots – I usually use the thick side of a grater, but if you like, use the thinner side of the grater and you won’t even realize this cake has carrots.
• Sugars –  I’ve used both sugars in this. I love the soft crumb that brown sugar gives this cake, as well as the hint of molasses in terms of flavor. If you like, you can use all white sugar and it will taste just as delicious. 
• Walnut and Raisins – Classic combination, but you can use pecans, cranberries, almonds, or any nuts you like.
• Oil – It’s best to use non-flavored canola oil so the oil won’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. 

Step by step instructions

Prepare cake

• Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
• Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt – and set aside.
• Grate carrots, add the orange zest – and set aside.
• In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whip eggs for a minute, then gradually add the sugar a little at a time.
• Continue to whip until light and foamy (ribbon stage).
• Next, while still whipping gradually add in the sour cream and oil.

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe8

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe10

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe9

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe11

• Now, add the carrot, walnuts, and raisins to the flour mixture (do this now not too early).
• Then, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
• Finally, add the vanilla.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake completely before frosting.

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe12

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe13

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe13

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe14

Prepare Swiss meringue buttercream

• Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
• Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
• Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
• Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch.
• Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer medium speed.
• Once all the butter is in, whip it on medium-high for 2 minutes.
• Lastly, add the vanilla and combine well.

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe18

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe26

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe24

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe31

Prepare apricot filling

• Soak apricot in hot water for 30 minutes – drain well.
• Pulse it through a blender or food processor until smooth.
• If necessary, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
• Combine 2 cups of Swiss meringue buttercream with the apricot puree.

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe32

Moist Carrot Layer Cake Recipe41

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Best Carrot Cake with Apricot Swiss Meringue Buttercream4

Assemble

• Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers.
• Split each cake layer into two horizontally so you have four layers.
• Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
• Top with a big dollop the apricot filling spread evenly.
• Place the second cake layer on top followed by more apricot filling.
• Continue until you have used all four layers.
• Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
• Spread the vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream around and top of the cake.
• Take 1 cup of the Swiss meringue buttercream and add some pink food color gel.
• Transfer both pink and white frostings to a piping bag with a 104 rose petal tip.
• Pipe ruffles with a zig-zag motion all around the cake.
• Alternatively, just frost the cake with the buttercream and smooth it with a spatula.

Storage

• The cake will stay fresh for up to three days at cool room temperature, or for a week, if kept in the fridge. 
• It can also be frozen for a month or more. 

6 tips – carrot cake recipe

1. How you grate the carrots will determine the texture of the cake. Thickly grated carrots will give a lighter desired texture while finely grated carrots will give a denser texture.
2. Use fresh tender carrots as they are sweeter. Do not use baby carrots as they tend to have too much moisture in them. Too much moisture can make the cake collapse.
3. Use flavorless cooking oil, such as canola and grapeseed. Oils like olive or avocado, while healthy, are very strong in flavor and give this cake a very savory taste.
4. Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy then start adding the oil gradually similar to making mayonnaise. This is what helps give a light and airy cake.
5. Bake the cake until just done, and a skewer inserted into the center comes clean. Overbaking the cake will give a dark hard crust.
6. If possible, use more baking pans rather than cutting the cake into layers. It’s easier and less messy. Alternatively, wrap and chill the cake for an hour before you layer them. This will give fewer crumbs and make frosting the cake easier.

More cakes you may like

• Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe
• Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Cadbury Creme Eggs
• Earl Grey Cakes

Frequently asked questions

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Carrot Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Author: Veena Azmanov

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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Frosting Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Calories: 782kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 12 Servings

Description

This is my favorite carrot cake recipe. It's decadent, moist, light, and airy, yet loaded with shredded carrots, fruits, and nuts. Today, I filled this layer cake with delicious apricot filling and frosted it with my Swiss meringue buttercream.

Ingredients 

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For the cake

• ▢ 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) Oil (flavorless like canola or grapeseed)
• ▢ 4 Eggs (large)
• ▢ 1 ¾ cup (385 g) Light Brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp Baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp Baking soda
• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) Sour cream
• ▢ 2 cup Carrots (shredded)
• ▢ 1 cup (100 g) Walnuts (finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 cup (150 g) Raisins (finely chopped)
• ▢ 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ▢ ¾ tsp Salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Orange zest
• ▢ ¼ tsp Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• ▢ ½ tsp Cinnamon (ground)

For the filling

• ▢ 6 oz (170 g) Apricot (dried soaked in hot water)

For the Swiss meringue buttercream

• ▢ 6 (180 g) Egg whites ((6 oz) )
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (300 g) White sugar
• ▢ ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar ((optional))
• ▢ 1 lb (450 g) Butter ((2 sticks) unsalted, room temperature)
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ▢ ½ tsp Salt

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Instructions

Prepare cake

• Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
• Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans or use four 8-inch cake pans.
• Swift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt – and set aside.
• Grate carrots, add the orange zest – set aside.
• In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, whip eggs for a minute then gradually add the sugar a little at a time.
• Continue to whip until light and foamy (ribbon stage).
• Next, while still whipping gradually add in the sour cream and oil.
• Now, add the carrot, walnuts, and raisins to the flour mixture (do this now not too early).
• Then, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
• Finally, add the vanilla.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake completely before frosting.

Prepare the Swiss meringue buttercream

• Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
• Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
• Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
• Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch.
• Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer medium speed.
• Once all the butter is in, whip it on medium-high for 2 minutes.
• Lastly, add the vanilla and combine well. Set aside

Prepare the apricot filling

• Soak apricot in hot water for 30 minutes – drain well.
• Pulse it through a blender or food processor until smooth.
• If necessary, add a few tablespoons of hot water.
• Combine 2 cups of Swiss meringue buttercream with the apricot puree. Set aside

Assemble

• Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers.
• Split each cake layer into two horizontally so you have four layers.
• Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
• Top with a big dollop the apricot filling spread evenly.
• Place the second cake layer on top followed by more apricot filling….
• Continue until you have used all four layers.
• Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes, so the layers hold together.
• Spread the vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream around and top of the cake.
• Take 1 cup of the Swiss meringue buttercream and add some pink food color gel.
• Transfer both pink and white frostings to a piping bag with a 104 rose petal tip.
• Pipe ruffles with a zig-zag motion all around the cake.
• Alternatively, just frost the cake with the buttercream and smooth it with a spatula.

Recipe Notes & Tips

6 Tips for making the perfect carrot cake

1. How you grate the carrots will determine the texture of the cake. Thickly grated carrots will give a lighter desired texture while finely grated carrots will give a denser texture.
2. Use fresh tender carrots as they are sweeter. Do not use baby carrots as they tend to have too much moisture in them. Too much moisture can make the cake collapse.
3. Use flavorless cooking oil, such as canola and grapeseed. Oils like olive or avocado while healthy are very strong in flavor and give this cake a very savory taste.
4. Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy then start adding the oil gradually similar to making mayonnaise. This is what helps give a light and airy cake.
5. Bake the cake until just done, and a skewer inserted into the center comes clean. Overbaking the cake will give a dark hard crust.
6. If possible use more baking pans rather than cutting the cake for layers. It’s easier and less messy. Alternatively, wrap and chill the cake for an hour before you layer them. This will give fewer crumbs and make frosting the cake easier.

Featured recipe in this post shows carrot cupcakes with uses a variation of this recipe

Conversions Used

1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,

Nutrition Information

Calories: 782– kcalCarbohydrates: 113– gProtein: 3– gFat: 35– gSaturated Fat: 13– gCholesterol: 32– mgSodium: 341– mgPotassium: 255– mgFiber: 1– gSugar: 93– gVitamin A: 1845– IUVitamin C: 5.9– mgCalcium: 59– mgIron: 1.6– mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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