Description
Get ready to fall in love with a dessert that feels both cozy and bakery-worthy. This Salted Caramel Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is soft, moist, warmly spiced, and layered with rich flavor in every bite. Sweet shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans create a tender homemade cake that works beautifully for holidays, brunch, dessert tables, and easy baking days. Finished with tangy cream cheese frosting and a buttery salted caramel drizzle, this is the kind of easy recipe that turns simple food ideas into a truly unforgettable treat.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
3/4 cup chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce for the frosting
1/3 cup salted caramel sauce for drizzling on top
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In another bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
5. Fold in the shredded carrots, drained crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
9. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy.
10. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce, then beat until creamy.
11. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
12. Drizzle the remaining salted caramel sauce over the top before serving.
Notes
Do not frost the cake before it has cooled completely, or the cream cheese frosting can soften too much and slide off instead of staying thick and fluffy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 548
- Sugar: 43g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 67g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 84mg