I love, love, love carrot cake. Some people love things like raisins, nuts or pineapple in their cake, but I prefer it just plain and simple. This is the best non-pineapple cake I’ve found for a super moist, perfect carrot cake. I spent my birthday in quarantine this year, and I “helped” my kids make this one.

I like to ice my carrot cake with Ina Garten’s cream cheese frosting for a perfect balance. I got exactly one photo of this before my family devoured it all.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups carrots grated 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Grease and flour 3 9″ round cake pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl cream together oil, sugar, and brown sugar.
• Mix in eggs and vanilla extract.
• Fold in carrots. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.
• Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk until well combined.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
• Baked for 15-18 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into the center. Do not over bake. The cake will continue cooking as it cools.
• At this point, I like to wrap my cake layers in plastic wrap and stick them in the freezer, at least until they are frozen solid, best overnight. This is my #1 tip for a moist, perfect cake.
• Once cooled frost with cream cheese frosting.