Description
This moist carrot sheet cake has a tender crumb with warm spices and finely grated carrots, topped with a tangy, fluffy cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans. It’s such a dessert, ready in just over an hour. You’ll love how simple and flavourful this one is!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 g) baking soda
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) finely grated carrots
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (100 g) pecan halves
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, full-fat, block-style, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Spread the pecan halves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until they’re golden, fragrant, and slightly darker. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, then roughly chop.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the neutral oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir with a whisk or spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Gently fold the finely grated carrots into the batter with a spatula until they are evenly dispersed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting. This is important!
- While the cake cools, combine the softened cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped toasted pecans. Slice and serve.
Notes
- For the best texture, make sure your carrots are finely grated. This helps them melt into the cake, keeping it super moist without any chunky bits. Squeeze out any excess water as well.
- Always use full-fat, block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub. The block cream cheese gives your frosting the perfect rich, thick consistency that holds up beautifully. Also, make sure it’s at room temp!
- Don’t rush the cooling process! Your cake must be completely cool before frosting, otherwise, your beautiful cream cheese frosting will melt right off.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
