Tis the season, for pumpkin recipes, and this Pumpkin Carrot Cake is perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall get-together. It is perhaps the moistest cake I've ever had, and is packed with lots of oatmeal and pumpkin, so this dessert is even nutritious! It is frosted with an easy cream cheese frosting, which , while delicious I used just enough to stick the layers and nicely top the cake. This tasted just right in my opinion and didn't add more calories and fat than necessary.
You will notice I used cranberries in addition to pumpkin, to make this carrot cake recipe more fitting to a fall theme.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This pumpkin carrot cake is the moistest most flavorful version I've ever had and I'm proud to call it my own. It features dried cranberries rather than raisins, a generous amount of oatmeal and an easy cream cheese frosting.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 16
Calories: 507kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ cups pureed pumpkin canned is good
- ½ cup apple sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins if you prefer
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 package of softened cream cheese
- ¼ pound salted butter softened, (one stick)if you use unsalted just add a generous pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees & coat 8-9 " cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pulse the oats in a food processor until flour-like in consistency.
- Add flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt cinnamon & sugar, and pulse to mix.
- In a large mixing bowl (stand mixer preferable) whisk eggs, then add pumpkin, apple sauce, vanilla, oil, brown sugar and buttermilk. Mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to mixing bowl, and mix well.
- Fold in the carrot, cranberries & walnuts, until evenly distributed.
- Pour batter into cake pans.
- Bake for 33-37 minutes.
- Cool on racks.
- Slice each cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Frost.
- Prepare the frosting by beating the butter cream cheese & vanilla until smooth, then adding confectioners sugar and whisking until smooth.
- Spread frosting evenly on each layer of the cake and stack.
Nutrition
Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 373mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 7535IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Nichol says
This looks so darn good. I'm a carrot cake fanatic, my favorite cake ever!
Donna says
I bookmarked so I can try this to take to my m-i-l's for Christmas! 🙂
Katy says
This looks amazing. I LOVE carrot cake.
Lisa says
This looks super yummy!
theultimatefoodaddict says
this just made me happy! it's such a beauty! 🙂
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
I love carrot cake, yumm!
Kelsey Apley says
Wow you took carrot cake to a WHOLE New level!!! I am so going to make this, goodness it looks delicious!!