How to Make Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

What’s in your ideal carrot cake? Do you love nuts, raisins, pineapple, cream cheese icing, lots of warm spices, etc? For me, the perfect carrot cake is moist, loaded with carrots, not too sweet, no pineapple, spiced just right and topped with an irresistible cream cheese icing. If you like the sound of that, then this is the recipe for you!

Also Read: Carrot Cake Granola, Carrot and Apple Sauce Muffins, Carrot and Apple Salad

I created this recipe years ago for the Canola Eat More Veggies recipe booklet where it made it’s debut as a centerfold! Cake centerfolds are the best!

What’s Different About this Carrot Cake?

This carrot cake has a few little tweaks to make it worthy of being a centerfold!

• Whole Wheat Flour – I’ve added some whole wheat flour for a little more fibre and nutrients. The whole wheat flour also helps absorb moisture from all those carrots and provides a slightly nutty flavour. But because we’re combining it with all purpose flour – hardly anyone will notice!
• Pro Tip – Don’t have whole wheat but want the extra fibre and nuttiness just add 2 tablespoons ground flax with the all purpose flour.
• Canola Oil – Choose whatever type of oil or fat you prefer.
• Plain Yogurt – I’ve replaced some of the typical oil amount found in carrot cake recipes with plain yogurt.
• Carrots – I jammed 3 cups of loosely packed shredded carrots (about 9 medium carrots) into this cake – that’s a lot of carrots and plenty of fibre and vitamins.
• Orange Flavour – the orange juice, zest and zest in the cream cheese icing goes really well with the warm spices in this cake – give it a try.  

Can You Freeze Carrot Cake

Yes! This cake freezes well without the cream cheese icing. This is a big recipe, so go ahead and freeze some to enjoy another time. Cut into pieces, place in airtight container and take out as many pieces as you need at any time. Reheat in the microwave or just let thaw on the counter.

Walnuts Are Optional

If you don’t like nuts don’t put them in! If you like the crunch but want to be considerate of nut allergies, use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

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5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

This cake is loaded with 3 cups of carrots and warm, flavourful spices that make it irresistible. It's a little lower in sugar and oil compared to other recipes, thanks to the yogurt and extra carrots.

Prep : 20 minutes mins

Cook : 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 20 pieces

Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour*
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp clove or allspice optional
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp orange zest one orange
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp orange juice
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt** at least 2%
• 3 cups grated carrots lightly packed
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins***
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
• Cream Cheese Icing from CanolaEatWell.com
• 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
• 3 1/2 -4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp orange zest

Instructions

• Grease and flour a 9×13 inch (3.5 Litre) cake pan.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and orange zest.
• In another large bowl, beat eggs with orange juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, canola oil and yogurt. Beat until well combined.
• Stir in grated carrots.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients stirring just til combined.
• Stir in cranberries and nuts if using.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.
• Run knife along edge of pan and invert on wire rack to cool completely.
• Once cake has completely cooled, frost with cream cheese icing.
• Cream Cheese Icing
• In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and margarine until very smooth.
• Add 3 cups confectioner’s sugar and beat well.
• Add orange juice and beat to combine ingredients.
• Test stiffness of icing, if it's too soft, add remaining 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar.
• Spread icing on cake and let set in fridge. Garnish with orange zest.

Notes

*Whole Wheat Flour – simply swap out the whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour – your cake will be a little softer, if you’d like add 2 Tbsp flax meal for fibre and a little nuttiness.

**Yogurt – ideally use yogurt with at least 2% or more fat for best texture and mouth feel. Use Greek or Icelandic or even sour cream. Consider adding 1-2 Tbsp milk or extra orange juice if batter is too stiff, especially when using low fat thick yogurt.

***Dried Cranberries/Raisins – if your dried cranberries or raisins are extra rock hard dry – soak them in warm water for 15 minutes before using. Drain well and enjoy their soft texture.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Iron: 1mg

Course: cake, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrots, coffee cake, cream cheese icing