Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot cake is made with fresh carrots, bursts of juicy pineapple, crunchy nuts, and a sweet cream cheese frosting.

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cake

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings: serves

Calories: 676kcal

Cost: $10

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan forced).
Grease two round 20cm cake tins with baking paper and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, and sugar until pale.
With a wooden spoon fold through dry ingredients.
Add carrot, pineapple and pecans and stir until well combined.
Pour the mixture equally into the prepared tins.
Bake for 30-35mins or until just cooked through and golden (cook for longer if using only one tin).
Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto cake rack.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until pale and smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until well combined and smooth.
Spread half of the cream cheese on top of one of the cakes. Add the second cake layer on top of the icing.
Spread the remaining icing over the top of the cake.

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan forced).
Grease two round 20cm cake tins with baking paper and set aside.
Peel and roughly chop the carrots. Grate carrot in the TM bowl for 5-10 seconds on Speed 5 depending on how coarse you would like your carrot – (I prefer mine finely grated). Place the carrot in a separate bowl and wipe out the TM bowl.
Place the pecans into the TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on Speed 8. Place the pecans into the bowl with the grated carrot.
Add the eggs, vegetable oil and sugar to the TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds on Speed 5.
Add the dry ingredients and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds.
Add the carrot, pecans and pineapple and mix for 20 seconds, Reverse, Speed 3 (you may need to use the spatula to help mix).
Bake for 30 - 35mins or until golden and just cooked through (cook for longer if using only one tin).
Cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire cake rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting, add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean Thermomix bowl and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5 or until smooth.
Spread half of the cream cheese on top of one of the cakes. Add the second cake layer on top of the icing.
Spread the remaining icing over the top of the cake.

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Use freshly grated carrots for best flavour and texture – pre-grated can be too dry.
Don’t overmix the batter once you add the dry ingredients – just gently fold.
Grease and line tins properly to avoid sticking – especially important with moist cakes.
If your cakes are browning too quickly on top, cover loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Use full-fat block cream cheese for thick, creamy frosting that sets nicely.
Wait until the cakes are completely cool before frosting.
Store frosted cake in the fridge for up to 4 days – bring to room temp before serving.
Freeze unfrosted cakes (wrapped well) for up to 3 months.
Freeze leftover frosted slices for up to 1 month.