Carrot Sheet Cake with Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot sheet cake is delicious! Whenever I make it I wonder why I don’t make it more often, since it’s so easy! Both the cake and frosting have the perfect balance of sweetness and great to make for a party since you can get 24 large pieces out of it or 32 more sensible pieces. Also, this cake is a little healthier than other cakes, since it includes shredded carrots and crushed pineapple 🙂 .

Fall is the perfect time for carrot cake and makes a great dessert choice for Thanksgiving. When you bake the cake it makes your whole house smell so good, with all the fall spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. It’s also a great dessert for Easter…add a few bunny decorations to it too to make it perfect for Spring!

You can decorate this cake however you like. I used it as a group birthday cake this go around so I decorated with little carrots for each of the birthday people, to show it’s a carrot cake, and then added garden tags to each carrot with the birthday persons name on it.

You will need:

For the carrot cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, partially drained
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional topping)

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt and set aside.
2. In another mixing bowl, whisk oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, pineapple, and vanilla extract then add in shredded carrots and combine well.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a Dutch whisk or spatula/spoon until combined. Make sure you don’t overmix.
4. Pour batter into sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread evenly.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Remove and let cool completely before frosting.
7. In the meantime, make the frosting. Using a hand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
8. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to mix until creamy.
9. Lastly, add heavy whipping cream and mix until well incorporated and frosting is whipped…about another minute.
10. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans. If you are decorating with colored frosting, then sprinkle pecans around decorations or leave off completely, if you prefer.
11. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Best to eat within a few days after making.

Kali Orexi!