Sweet And Tangy Pumpkin Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Enjoy the festive Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, an autumn-inspired moist cake with a tangy frosting that's perfect for any gathering.

Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Perfect for Thanksgiving or any autumn gathering, The Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist and flavorful delight that blends the best of fall ingredients. The cake layers are enriched with pumpkin puree and grated carrots, offering a tender crumb, while warm spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add a comforting aroma. The tangy cream cheese frosting provides a sumptuous contrast to the cake's sweetness that your taste buds will love.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 1 ⅓ cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup grated carrots, (about 2 medium carrots see note)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2-4 teaspoons milk
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, optional

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease two or three 9-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with a round of parchment.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat buttermilk, eggs, pumpkin, sugars, oil, vanilla, pineapple, and carrots until well combined.
• Slowly add flour mixture, beating until the flour is fully incorporated in the wet ingredients.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans (see note). Tap the pans on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles.
• If using two cake pans, bake for approximately 35 minutes. If using three cake pans, bake for 25-28 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract for several minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
• Using a butter knife or offset spatula, frost the cooled cake. Press chopped walnuts onto the sides of the cake. Transfer to the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Roasted Nuts
• Warm Spices Tea or Coffee
• Fresh Whipped Cream

Tips and Tricks

• The addition of parchment paper rounds in the bottom of the pans, as mentioned, will help prevent the cakes from sticking and make them easier to remove after baking.
• For the moistest cake texture, ensure that your pumpkin puree and buttermilk are at room temperature before mixing them into the batter.
• If your cream cheese frosting is too thick, adding milk one teaspoon at a time can help achieve the right spreading consistency without sacrificing flavor.
• The cake recipe includes an option for chopped toasted walnuts in the frosting. Prepare a portion without nuts to accommodate guests who might have allergies or prefer no nuts.

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Pumpkin Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Enjoy the festive Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, an autumn-inspired moist cake with a tangy frosting that's perfect for any gathering.

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Ingredients

• CAKE
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 1 ⅓ cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup grated carrots, (about 2 medium carrots see note)
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2-4 teaspoons milk
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, optional

Instructions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease two or three 9-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with a round of parchment.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat buttermilk, eggs, pumpkin, sugars, oil, vanilla, pineapple, and carrots until well combined.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until the flour is fully incorporated in the wet ingredients.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans (see note). Tap the pans on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles.
5. If using two cake pans, bake for approximately 35 minutes. If using three cake pans, bake for 25-28 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract for several minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
2. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, frost the cooled cake. Press chopped walnuts onto the sides of the cake. Transfer to the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 16
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 508kcal