Layered Carrot Cake

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Is there really anything better than Layered Carrot Cake slathered with Cream Cheese Frosting? I don’t think so! And if there is, I have yet to discover it 🙂

Layered Carrot Cake from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

With Easter right around the corner, and all sorts of other Spring celebrations (baby showers, birthdays, outdoor picnics etc) I thought it was high time to share my moms tried and true recipe for Carrot Cake!

Layered Carrot Cake from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Because I like to live by the “more is more” motto, I doubled to the recipe to make a TRIPLE Layered Carrot Cake and then topped it off with a healthy dose of Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s a little/big slice of perfection and it’s a show stopper with all the flowers on the sides! You can decorate this with any number of toppings – or just keep it simple and frosted. I looooooove to add a flower moment on the cake – it makes it more of a centerpiece AND a dessert basically killing 2 birds with one stone. ON BRAND! I know you guys are going to love this one.

Layered Carrot Cake from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Layered Carrot Cake from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Layered Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 7 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine English
Servings 10 + servings

Ingredients
  

For the Carrot Cake

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups finely grated peeled carrots about 1 pound

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using a large mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
  • Using a mixer, beat all frosting ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
  • Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting on top. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. And more swirls of icing on top.
  • Top with flowers and decorations as desired

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking

116 Comments

    1. yes but I can’t say for sure since I didn’t test it that way! But when a knife is inserted in the middle and it comes out clean, you’re cook! I’d start at 30 mins

  1. What a spectacular-looking carrot cake! Will be making this for Easter this weekend. Can you share what the decorations are made of, and how to make them?

  2. I don’t have three 9″ cake pans – only two 8″ and one pie plate.
    Think I can use those and it will come out correctly? I tasted this cake at a shower last year – it is divine – and in the absence of family this Easter, it would be nice to make it. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

    1. you could do the 8 inch pans and cook 3 batches. they’ll need a few extra minutes in the oven

    1. absolutely – same baking temp. Keep your eyes on the bake time… probably 20ish minutes

  3. My husband is requesting raisins in the carrot cake. Do you think I add 1/3c or so without it affecting the recipe?

  4. Would using the coconut oil suggestion change the texture of this cake? I followed the directions exactly and checking in them
    While baking…they look “spongy”. Thanks!

  5. Making this for Easter! Wax paper for the bottoms of the pans? Or Parchment paper? Do you cut out a circle or should the paper go up the sides? Thank you!

  6. 5 stars
    Hi Gaby!
    This looks fabulous!! I just finished baking the three layers for Easter tomorrow. Should I frost it today? Or should I wrap the layers in plastic wrap, refrigerate then frost tomorrow at room temperature? Cannot wait to eat it- smells divine!

  7. 5 stars
    Mmm! Made this recipe into cupcakes since I’m a novice baker and that whole layer thing looked scary! Absolutely delish…half gone by noon! Thank you!

  8. Hi, I love this cake design, so elegant and so much finesse in executing this! What leaves did you use to decorate?

    1. depends on the size of your oven. In my old house I did all 3 at once, and rotated them a few times so they baked evenly. My new oven sucks so I do one at a time

  9. I really want to try to make this cake but I only have to pans, should I only do half recipe then?

  10. Do you think your edible flowers were dandelions? Trying to research all the edible flowers that I could find at a local New Orleans farmer’s market. LOVE your beautiful cake!!!!

  11. 5 stars
    I made this for Easter and it was a huge hit. The best Carrot Cake I’ve ever had. Even better then our local bakery and there’s is fantastic. Thanks Gaby!!

  12. So I’ve made this before and loved it. But I have a question- I want to make these as cupcakes, but I’m wondering if filling the cupcakes with frosting would be a good idea or make it too sweet. Thoughts?

    1. cake can be stored on the counter in an airtight container! (fridge dries cakes out!) and will last on the counter for a few days

  13. 5 stars
    Made this for Easter and it was DIVINE!! Now I just need to figure out how to make mine as beautiful as yours!

  14. 5 stars
    My friend, Hilary, just made this for Easter yesterday. It was DELICIOUS!! She was competing against my Mother’s famous recipe …… well, I think we have a new recipe in town :)) Thanks to you and your Mom for sharing!

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