Description
Indulgent caramel pecan carrot cake delivers a symphony of sweet and nutty flavors that dance across your palate. Rich cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans elevate this classic dessert into a memorable culinary experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Sweeteners and Spices:
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Frosting and Topping:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1/2 cup additional chopped pecans for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and vegetable oil until smooth and well combined.
- Gradually fold granulated sugar into the egg mixture, stirring continuously until fully incorporated and slightly fluffy.
- Gently fold dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined without overmixing.
- Carefully incorporate grated carrots and chopped pecans into the batter, distributing evenly throughout.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan, spreading smoothly with a spatula to create an even surface.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack for approximately 1 hour.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, beating until smooth and creamy.
- Once cake has cooled, spread cream cheese frosting evenly across the top.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosted cake in a decorative pattern.
- Sprinkle additional chopped pecans over the caramel sauce for added texture and visual appeal.
- Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes before serving to allow frosting to set and flavors to meld.
Notes
- Prevent overmixing the batter to maintain a light, tender cake texture by stirring just until ingredients are combined.
- Grate carrots finely and pat them dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from making the cake soggy.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend and add xanthan gum for better structure.
- Toast pecans before adding to the batter to enhance their nutty flavor and create a more complex taste profile.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 50 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg