Carrot Layer Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Moist four layer carrot cake, made with applesauce and topped off with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. A perfect cake for Spring celebrations.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 C carrots, finely shredded
- 1 C applesauce
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C granulated sugar
- 1/2 C light brown sugar
- 3 C all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 6 C powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour four 8-inch square cake pans, followed by parchment paper for the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- Finely shred and chop carrots.
- In a large bowl, combine liquid ingredients. Add sugars, whisking until combined. Stir in carrots to combine. Add dry ingredients in several batches until well combined and no streaks remain. Divide batter between prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes or until easy to handle. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wrap cakes well in plastic and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Prepare frosting: In a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and cinnamon, followed by 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until fully incorporated.
- If needed, level cakes prior to frosting.
- Place the bottom layer of your cake over strips of wax paper. Add a general portion of frosting to the top, followed by another layer of cake and repeat until all cake layers have been added. Add a thin coat of frosting to the top and sides of cake, sealing in any crumbs. Chill for 1-2 hours. Cover remaining frosting until ready to proceed.
- Add remaining frosting to top and sides of cake, using an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth out sides and top.
- Chill cake until ready to serve.
Notes
Recipe serves roughly 20, yields 1: 4-tire 8-inch cake.
*Firmer cakes frost easier. The longer the chill time, the easier the cakes will be to frost. An original recipe from Baked by Rachel
*Firmer cakes frost easier. The longer the chill time, the easier the cakes will be to frost. An original recipe from Baked by Rachel
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most accurate data, use your preferred nutrition calculator with the actual ingredients you used to make this recipe.
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