Three Layer Carrot Cake

This carrot cake recipe mixes sugar, oil, eggs, and flour with cinnamon, baking soda, and carrots to create a moist, flavorful cake. It’s layered with creamy cheese frosting and coated with chopped pecans for a delicious finish.

Table of Contents

1. How to Make Three Layer Carrot Cake
2. Three Layer Carrot Cake Decorating Tips & Tricks
3. Print this Three Layer Carrot Cake Recipe Below and Share with a Friend!
4. Three Layer Carrot Cake

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Honey, I have a dessert recipe to share with you – yes, we’re talking about the classic, the incomparable, Carrot Cake. Although I already have a Carrot Cake Recipe uploaded, I had to do another for those who don’t like coconut, and raisins. This recipe is more simple for those who don’t like all the extra ingredients

How to Make Three Layer Carrot Cake

Shopping List

1. Sugar (4 cups) – The sweet backbone of your cake, making sure every bite is as delightful as a hug from grandma.
2. Canola Oil (2 cups) – This gives your cake a moist, tender texture, ensuring it melts in your mouth with each bite.
3. Large Eggs (8) – They’re the glue that holds your cake together, adding structure and richness.
4. Flour (4 cups) – The foundation of your cake, giving it form and substance, so it’s not just sweet air.
5. Baking Soda (2 tsp) – This little leavener makes your cake rise, ensuring it’s fluffy and not a dense brick.
6. Baking Powder (2 tsp) – Works hand-in-hand with baking soda to lift your cake up to the heavens.
7. Salt (1/2 tsp) – A pinch of salt makes all the flavors in your cake pop, balancing the sweetness.
8. Cinnamon (4 tsp) – This spice adds a warm, cozy depth, making your cake taste like a hug feels.
9. Carrots (3 cups, shredded) – The star of the show, adding moisture, sweetness, and a lovely orange hue.
10. Pecans (1 cup chopped + 4 cups for decorating) – These add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor, dressing up your cake like pearls on a little black dress.
11. Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup) – For the frosting, it adds a creamy, rich base that’s simply irresistible.
12. Cream Cheese (8 oz) – It brings tangy, creamy goodness to your frosting, creating a perfect balance to the sweet cake.
13. Powdered Sugar (4 cups) – It sweetens your frosting, making it smooth and spreadable, like velvet.
14. Pure Vanilla Extract (2 tsp) – A dash of vanilla adds a fragrant aroma, elevating the flavors in both the cake and frosting.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to a toasty 350°F (175°C), a warm hug for what’s about to come. Spray those cake pans with a little Pam baking spray to ensure nothing sticks because we want a smooth exit, no drama. In a standing mixer, we’re going to mix our sugar, oil, and eggs until they’re as combined as a perfect harmony. Then, in goes the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, mixed until just right. Fold in those shredded carrots and pecans gently, like you’re tucking them into a fluffy duvet.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. Once done, let them cool on a wire rack because good things come to those who wait.

Now, let’s talk frosting – the cream cheese frosting. It’s like the silk robe of this cake, luxurious and smooth. We’re beating together butter and cream cheese, then gradually adding powdered sugar and vanilla until it’s as smooth as a jazz solo. And those chopped pecans? They’re not just for show. They add a crunch that’s as surprising as finding money in your pocket.

Three Layer Carrot Cake Decorating Tips & Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to elevate your carrot cake from homemade to show-stopping:

1. Smooth Frosting Application: For a sleek look, use an offset spatula to apply the cream cheese frosting. Start at the top and work your way down the sides. Dip the spatula in warm water to help smooth out any bumps or lines for a flawless finish.
2. Piping Bag Magic: Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle to add elegant borders around the top and bottom edges of the cake. You can create swirls, rosettes, or simple stars to give it a professional touch.
3. Nutty Borders: Press chopped pecans onto the sides of the cake for a rustic, textured look. This not only adds to the aesthetic but also gives a delightful crunch with every bite. Holding the cake at an angle over a tray to catch the fallout can make this process less messy.
4. Carrot Toppers: For a whimsical touch, fashion little carrots out of marzipan or fondant. Tint with orange and green food coloring, shape them into tiny carrots, and place them on top of the cake for a charming garden vibe.
5. Edible Flowers: Edible flowers like pansies or marigolds can add a splash of color and an elegant flair. Just be sure they’re safe for consumption and pesticide-free.
6. Dusting and Drizzling: A light dusting of powdered sugar over the top can add a simple yet elegant finish. Alternatively, a caramel or a simple sugar glaze drizzle can give it a glossy, appetizing look.
7. Textured Swirls: Use the back of a spoon to create swirls or waves in the frosting for a textured look. This technique is forgiving and adds a beautiful, rustic touch without the need for precision.
8. Layered Look: If you’re feeling adventurous, try a naked or semi-naked frosting technique where the cake layers are partially visible for a chic, modern look. This is especially appealing if your cake layers have nice, even edges.
9. Theme Decorations: Tailor your decorations to the occasion. For a fall theme, consider adding cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, or fall leaves (real or made from fondant) around the cake.
10. Practice Makes Perfect: Before decorating the actual cake, practice your designs on parchment paper or a similar surface. This can help you feel more confident and reduce mistakes on the final product.

So there you have it, a carrot cake recipe that’s as full of personality as it is of flavor. Bake it with love, serve it with pride, and enjoy every last crumb. After all, life’s too short not to indulge in a little cake magic now and then.

If you enjoyed this Three Layer Carrot Cake, check out some of my other cake recipes!

Southern Vanilla Pound Cake

Moist Layered Pumpkin Cake

Homemade Angel Food Cake

3 Layer Orange Lemon Cake

Print this Three Layer Carrot Cake Recipe Below and Share with a Friend!

Three Layer Carrot Cake

This recipe for carrot cake combines eggs, sugar, oil, and flour with cinnamon and baking soda, adding grated carrots for a tender, richly spiced cake. It is layered with a smooth cream cheese frosting and encrusted with chopped pecans for a delectable final touch.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Three Layer Carrot Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cool Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

• 4 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of canola oil
• 8 large eggs ready to rumble
• 4 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 4 teaspoons of cinnamon for that spicy kick
• 3 cups of shredded carrots
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• Three 9-inch round cake pans
• One 10-inch round cake board
• Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter softened to perfection
• 1 8- ounce block of cream cheese also softened
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups of chopped pecans for that nutty finale

Instructions

• Carrot Cake Directions:
• Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F (175°C). While that's warming up, show those cake pans some love with a little Pam baking spray.
• In a standing mixer, let’s get the party started by mixing the sugar, oil, and eggs until they’re all cozy and combined.
• Gradually introduce the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to the mix. Keep it going until everything’s well acquainted.
• Fold in those shredded carrots and 1 cup of pecan pieces like you’re tucking them into bed.
• Divide that batter evenly among your prepped cake pans, like splitting the last slice of pizza equally among friends.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleaner than a comedian at a church picnic.
• Let the cakes cool on a wire rack because patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to cake.
• Cream Cheese Frosting Directions:
• In that trusty standing mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese together until they’re smoother than a jazz tune.
• Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until the mix is as smooth as your moves on a Friday night.
• Set aside some love in the form of chopped pecans for the grand decoration later.
• Building and Decorating Directions:
• Let’s perform a little cake surgery by leveling off the tops of each cake layer. Crumble the cut-offs into a bowl for a snack or a sneaky garnish.
• Place the first cake layer on the 10-inch board like it’s the foundation of your dreams.
• Fill a piping bag with 1 cup of frosting, then spread another cup of frosting over the first layer with the grace of a butter knife ballet.
• Gently place the second layer on top and repeat the frosting ritual.
• Crown it with the final cake layer, then frost the whole masterpiece to perfection.
• Now, for the pièce de résistance: coat the cake with those reserved chopped pecans, and sprinkle a little extra around the top edge for that chef’s kiss.
• Cut a slice, take a bite, and revel in the masterpiece you’ve created. Enjoy, darling!
• There you have it, a no-nonsense guide to baking a carrot cake that’ll make your taste buds stand up and give you a standing ovation.

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Recipe by: I Heart Recipes

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