Moist Carrot Cake Recipe

If you're on the hunt for the best-ever carrot cake, you've got to try this moist carrot cake recipe!

I've had carrot cakes before, but none that tasted this good!

The secret is a glaze that gets poured over the cake after it is baked...but before it gets frosted. The glaze seeps down into the cake, infusing it with flavor and making it incredibly moist. Oh my gosh, is this stuff good!

The recipe below is for one 13" x 9" sheet cake, or for a trendy twist, use it to create carrot cake cupcakes.

How to Make This Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup chopped pecans

Buttermilk Glaze

Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions:

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Fold in carrots and nuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13" x 9" pan or muffin cups.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 10 more minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Drizzle the Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake; cool completely in pan.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake. Yield 10 to 12 servings.

Buttermilk Glaze

You'll Need:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk, and corn syrup to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes or until mixture is golden brown.

Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Frosting

You'll Need:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz) package powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat at high speed 10 seconds or until smooth. Yield: 4 cups.

NOTE: The original idea for this moist carrot cake recipe was found in a Southern Living Cookbook called Our Readers Top-Rated Recipes , but I modified the recipe to suit my tastes.