You'll love this carrot cake recipe even more after trying it. It's easy to make this moist and tasty carrot cake with simple, healthy ingredients. It's great!
– 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour – 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoons ground ginger – 2 teaspoons baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt – 1 teaspoon baking soda – 1 ½ pounds peeled and grated carrots* (about 4 cups) – 1 cup raw pecan or walnut halve – ¾ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil** or melted coconut oil – 1 ¼ cups maple syrup or honey – 1 cup milk of choice – 4 eggs, preferably at room temperature – 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – Double batch classic cream cheese frosting or naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting
Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit and grease two 9" round cake pans. When making classic cream cheese frosting, remove the cream cheese and butter from the fridge to warm up.
Toast the pecans for 5 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet in the preheated oven until fragrant. Cut them into small pieces on a cutting board after they cool.
Save 2 tablespoons chopped pecans for cake garnish. Next, stir the rest into the dry mixture. Mix both flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix well.
Stir in grated carrots and chopped pecans. Mix oil, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Blend thoroughly.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon until combined (a few lumps are okay). Split the batter between the two cake pans and spread it evenly on top.
Bake the cakes on the middle rack for 45–50 minutes, or until the centres are springy and a toothpick inserted shows no crumbs. Cool the cakes on a rack before frosting.
For assembly, prepare the frosting as directed. Invert the cakes carefully to remove them from pans. Frost the top of one cake with one-third frosting.
Second cake on top, frost with another third of frosting. Finish frosting the cake's sides with the leftover frosting. Sprinkle reserved chopped pecans on top if desired.
Slice the cake carefully with a sharp chef's knife before serving. Store the cake at room temperature for the rest of the day or up to 4 days in the fridge.