When I think of desserts for Easter, the first one I think of is carrot cake. And we make one every single year. This moist carrot cake layers are filled and frosted with a rich orange cream cheese frosting.
What does Carrot Cake taste like?
Carrot cakes taste like a spice cake topped off with cream cheese. You don’t actually taste the carrots that goes in it. Carrots add sweetness and moisture to a batter, which make the cake so delicious. Along with cinnamon and nutmeg spices, and the cream cheese frosting, carrot cake stands out as an amazing Spring dessert.
Tips for making carrot cake:
- Do not use pre-shredded carrots. Many supermarkets sell pre-shredded carrots in a bag. These carrots are harder and drier than fresh carrots that you shred yourself with a grater. They would not add as much moisture to the cake than fresh shredded carrots.
- Use the full amount of cinnamon and spices in the recipe. Arrow cake is essentially a spice cake with carrots, so the spices need to be present.
- Add nuts and raisins if desired. I don’t use them in this recipe, but the addition of nuts and raisins would be a delicious alternative to the original recipe.
Here are other desserts perfect for Easter dinner:
Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
When I think of desserts for Easter, the first one I think of is carrot cake. And we make one every single year. This moist carrot cake layers are filled and frosted with a rich orange cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- Chopped walnuts
- Fresh rosemary
Instructions
Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8 inch pans with baking spray. Set aside.In a stand mixer add oil and sugar. Mix at medium speed. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Mix again. Mix in shredded carrots. Add dry ingredients. Mix and add buttermilk at the same time. Divide batter between the the baking pans. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting
- Add butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar to a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed while adding vanilla and heavy cream. Add orange juice and zest and mix again. Set aside.
Assembly
- Level each cake layer. Place one layer on a cake plate. Frost the first layer. Place a second layer of cake on top. Use the remaining frosting to frost the entire cake. Garnish cake with walnuts and fresh rosemary at the top.
