Pumpkin Carrot Cake
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Pumpkin carrot cake is the perfect fusion of two classic flavors that makes for an irresistible treat. This cake combines the rich taste of pumpkin puree with the sweetness of freshly grated carrots, resulting in a moist, tender cake that’s ideal for any time of year.
Whether you’re enjoying it during pumpkin season or craving a slice during the holiday season, this cake is sure to become one of your favorite cake recipes.
This is a wonderful cake for springtime too! You can use a homemade cream cheese frosting or a canned cream cheese frosting.
Deliciously moist and flavorful!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist and Flavorful: The combination of pumpkin puree and shredded carrots ensures a moist cake that bursts with the flavors of warm spices.
- Easy to Make: With simple steps and common pantry ingredients like all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and vanilla extract, this recipe is perfect for bakers of all levels.
- Versatile: Whether you’re looking to make a classic sheet cake, pumpkin cupcakes, or a layered cake, this recipe adapts beautifully.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting, this cake is sure to be a hit at any gathering.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: From holiday season desserts to birthday celebrations, this pumpkin carrot cake recipe is a showstopper.
Ingredients for carrot pumpkin cake
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Canned pumpkin puree
- Grated carrots
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting
- carrot sugar toppers (optional)
Equipment and kitchen tools
- Cake pan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
How to make moist Carrot Pumpkin Cake
Step 1 – Mix Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
Step 2 – Mix Pumpkin Flavors
In a separate bowl, add the pumpkin puree, grated carrots, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step 3 – Blend Carrot Mixture
Step 4 – Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
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Step 5 – Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake for 30—35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6 – Frost the Cake
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting with Betty Croker ready cream cheese frosting, decorate with sugar carrots or sprinkle of your choice.
Step 7 – Decorate with Sugar Carrots
Add a sugar carrot to each slice.
Serve and Enjoy
Tips for the Best Results
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best results, ensure your eggs and pumpkin puree are at room temperature before mixing. This helps the ingredients blend more smoothly and results in a tender cake.
- Properly Measure Flour: Use a measuring cup to scoop and level the all-purpose flour to avoid using too much, which can lead to a dry cake.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, mix on low speed until just combined to avoid a tough cake.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready. Overbaking can result in a dry cake.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack before frosting. Frosting a warm cake can cause the fluffy cream cheese frosting to melt and slide off.
Pumpkin desserts are perfect for the fall season. Try these Layered Pumpkin Desserts or this No Bake Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie for a nice addition to your dinner or holiday.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pumpkin Substitutes: If you don’t have pumpkin puree on hand, you can use pumpkin pie filling, but reduce the sugar in the recipe slightly as pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened.
- Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting: If you have a few minutes, make this homemade cream cheese frosting.
- Carrot Variations: Substitute freshly grated carrots with pre-shredded carrots from the store to save time, but avoid using pieces of carrot that are too large, as they can create an uneven texture.
- Layered Cake: For a layered cake, divide the batter between two 9-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper and adjust the baking time to 25–30 minutes.
- Naked Cake: If you prefer a naked cake look, lightly frost the outside of the cake, letting some of the cake layers peek through for a rustic finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, using a food processor to grate the carrots is a great time-saver and works just as well as grating by hand.
Store the cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Absolutely! You can freeze the entire cake or individual cake slices. Wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
A dry cake can result from overbaking or too much flour. Make sure to measure the flour accurately and keep an eye on the cake as it bakes. Additionally, using vegetable oil helps maintain moisture in the cake.
More yummy pumpkin recipes
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- 13 x 9" baking pan
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 easpoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 cup grated carrots 2- 3 carrots
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 16 oz Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting
- 24 Carrot Sugar Toppers
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, grated carrots, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool before frosting.
Notes
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready. Overbaking can result in a dry cake.
- Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack before frosting. Frosting a warm cake can cause the fluffy cream cheese frosting to melt and slide off.
- Store in an Airtight container: Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Oh, I bet that is a wonderful flavor combination! I need to try this. 🙂 Pinned! I’m visiting from the Love Your Creativity linkup. (If you’re interested, I’d love to see you share this post over at my biweekly linkup, too: https://lifetalesbooks.blogspot.com/p/calling-fellow-bloggers.html)
Oh I didn’t think there was any way to make carrot cake better but this sounds like a winning combination for sure!
This delicious recipe is one of my features for this week’s SSPS. Thank you so much for sharing with us, we sure appreciate it!