Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (2024)

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Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (1)Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie’s Cream Cheese Frosting

No joke! This Carrot Cake Recipe is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Seriously, so delicious. It’s a must for your Easter Menu this year or for breakfast tomorrow or for lunch tomorrow or for…..well, you get the picture…just make it soon.

My friend, Callie, made a delicious Carrot Cake for Christmas Dinner this year. It was full of all kinds of good things like coconut, walnuts, pineapple, carrots, and raisins.

I had never had a carrot cake quite like it and couldn’t stop thinking about it over the following weeks…Okay, months……When I eat something delicious, I just can’t get it out of my head. (Don’t get me started about the chocolate rice crispy I had 16 years ago at Disney World.)

I messaged Callie to get the recipe, which she is going to send me. In the meantime, I was invited to dinner somewhere and wanted to make a carrot cake. I already knew how to make Callie’s Awesome Cream Cheese Frosting, but I didn’t have the recipe for the cake yet.Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (2)

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I improvised by searching the web for recipes that looked similar and then made some minor adjustments. The results are pretty darn fantastic. I foundSam’s Famous Carrot Cake and used it as a starting point.

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe is fantastic! Just wait until you taste the frosting….this ain’t your mama’s cream cheese frosting…

how to make out of this world carrot cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch circle cake pans. Line cake pans with pre-cut parchment paper circles (see photo below) or cut wax paper into two 9-inch circles and line the pans.
  • Next, make sour milk. Put 1 tsp lemon juice in a measuring cup. Then, fill to 3/4 cup with milk. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.
  • In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine sugar, oil, eggs, and milk. Mix well.
  • Add vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
  • Next, fold in the carrots, nuts, coconut, pineapple, and raisins (optional) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Pour half of the batter into each cake pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
  • Let cool completely before frosting.

I just found pre-cut parchment circles on Amazon, and I’m pretty sure they could be life-changing. I have always cut my own, and it’s ANNOYING! (You can order 8″ or 9″.)
Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (3)

how to frost out of this world carrot cake

  • First, make Callie’s Cream Cheese Frosting.
  • Next, make a crumb layer by frosting a tiny amount on the first layer. (See photo below.)
  • Place second cake layer on top and frost a small amount over the whole cake. (See photo below.)
  • Then, place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes or until frosting is set.
  • Take the cake out of the fridge/freezer and use remaining frosting to cover the whole cake.
  • If desired, sprinkle a few nuts on top in the center of the cake and place nuts around the bottom edge of the cake.

Crumb Layer

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (4)

Finished Cake

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (5)

Tips for making Out of this World Carrot Cake with Callie’s Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Finely shred the carrots. If the carrot pieces are bigger than that, they will still be a little crunchy even after cooking.
  • Don’t drain the juice out of the crushed pineapple. You want all that moisture in the cake.
  • If you have buttermilk, you can use that instead of the sour milk.
  • Use pre-cut parchment circles to line the greased and floured pans. The cakes will easily come out of the pans.
  • When frosting the cake, first make a crumb layer. Making a crumb layer will keep little bits of the cake from getting in the final layer of the frosting. See instructions and photos above for frosting the cake. Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (6)

baker’s tools:


4.8 from 47 reviews

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Icing

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (10)

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Prep time

Total time

A moist and delicious carrot cake chuck full of flavor and texture, topped with the best cream cheese frosting you will ever have.

Author: Maria: Inspired by Callie's and Sam's Famous Carrot Cake

Recipe type: Cake

Cuisine: Dessert

Serves: 16

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups white sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup sour milk (milk + lemon juice)
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour OR 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cup carrots, finely shredded
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup walnuts, plus more for garnish on frosted cake, if desired
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch circle cake pans. Line cake pans with pre-cut parchment paper circles (see photo in post) or cut wax paper into two 9-inch circles and line the pans.
  2. Next, make sour milk. Put 1 tsp lemon juice in a measuring cup. Then, fill to ¾ cup with milk. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.
  3. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine sugar, oil, eggs, and milk. Mix well.
  4. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
  5. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
  6. Next, fold in the carrots, nuts, coconut, pineapple, and raisins (optional) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  7. Pour half of the batter into each cake pan.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
  9. Let cool completely before frosting.

4.8 from 47 reviews

Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting

Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (11)

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Author: Callie

Recipe type: Frosting

Ingredients

  • 2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixer and beat until smooth.
  2. Next, frost the cake.
  3. First, make a crumb layer by frosting a tiny amount on the first layer.
  4. Place second cake layer on top and frost, again, a small amount over the whole cake. See picture above.
  5. Place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes or until frosting is set.
  6. Then, take the cake out and use remaining frosting to cover the whole cake.
  7. If desired, sprinkle nuts on top of the cake and bottom edge. See picture above.

Don’t forget to pin this awesome recipe onto your favorite pinterest Board!

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Out of this World Carrot Cake Recipe with Callie's Cream Cheese Frosting (2024)

FAQs

Does carrot cake with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated? ›

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises refrigerating any food made with cream cheese after 2 hours (that includes time spent making the food). The same typically goes for frostings made with other perishable foods such as.

Should I refrigerate cream cheese frosting before piping? ›

So if your frosting is too soft to pipe once beaten, you can pop it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to harden up. But if you refrigerate the frosting overnight or freeze it, it will be too hard to pipe, simply let it soften at room temperature, re-whip until fluffy and use as desired.

How do you stiffen cream cheese frosting? ›

There are a few ways you can increase the stability of this frosting or make it a bit thicker. – Add in more icing/powdered sugar (if you don't mind a little extra sweetness). Add in a tablespoon at a time and taste test as you go. – Secondly, you can add in some cornstarch to thicken up the frosting.

Why does my cream cheese frosting go runny? ›

Frosting is too runny.

This could be because the butter was too soft or you added too much milk if it is buttercream frosting or it could be that you have overbeaten it if you're making cream cheese frosting. Also, a hot kitchen can make frostings go runny, so be mindful of the temperature.

How long can carrot cake with cream cheese frosting sit out? ›

Cream cheese frosting should always be stored in the refrigerator. Cream cheese is a perishable food, and per FoodSafety.gov, perishable foods should not sit in room temperatures for longer than two hours.

Should I refrigerate carrot cake before frosting? ›

Cream cheese frosting and carrot cake are a little unruly when they're warm, so the fridge is your friend. The cake itself is much easier to frost and slice when it's been refrigerated — the soft, moist crumb contracts when it's chilled and doesn't tear or fall apart as easily.

Can I leave a cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight? ›

However, cream cheese frosting can last up to two hours at room temperature, so you don't have to worry about eating cold cake. According to the FDA, cream cheese frosting and icing, as well as other foods that contain cream cheese, need to be refrigerated within two hours.

What happens if you don t refrigerate cream cheese frosting? ›

Does Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Need To Be Refrigerated? While the addition of butter and powdered sugar does help to stabilize it, cream cheese frosting should only be left out at room temperature for two hours before it needs to be put in the fridge.

Does cream cheese frosting get hard in the fridge? ›

Temperature: Refrigerators are set to low temperatures to preserve food and prevent bacterial growth. At these low temperatures, fats in cream cheese can solidify, causing it to harden. Fat Content: Cream cheese contains a significant amount of fat.

How do you thicken cream cheese frosting for carrot cake? ›

How to thicken cream cheese frosting. If the consistency is too thin or runny you can put the frosting mixture in the fridge for up to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.If it's still too thin, take out some of the runny mixture and beat in some more cream cheese.

How do you thicken carrot cake icing? ›

Cornstarch is a good way to thicken the frosting without increasing its sweetness. Mix 1 tablespoon (25 grams) of cornstarch into the frosting. If it is still too runny, add a little more. Continue to add cornstarch until you are happy with the texture.

Can you over mix cream cheese icing? ›

If you do over mix, the water in the cream cheese starts to separate out, and it makes the frosting really loose. Stop mixing when it looks like this, and then it's ready to use on your cakes and cupcakes.

What brand of cream cheese is best for frosting? ›

As far as brand, like I mentioned before, only use Philadelphia full fat cream cheese when possible. Other brands of cream cheese don't have that perfect balance of gums in the ingredients, so they won't allow the frosting to thicken and hold its shape like Philadelphia does.

How to thicken cream cheese frosting without adding more sugar? ›

If you are trying to avoid any sweetness to your frosting you could try some cream of tartar or some cornstarch mixed with a little milk. You can also whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the softened cream cheese. People use gelatin to thicken and set whipped cream frostings.

Why does cream cheese icing not set? ›

Always add any extra liquid at the end. There is a chance that the cream cheese was over beaten before the sugar was added, which can sometimes lead to the cheese partially melting and dissolving the sugar.

Can you leave carrot cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight? ›

Unfortunately, cream cheese frosting is susceptible to becoming a breeding ground for bacteria, and leaving a cake with cream cheese frosting out overnight is an easy way to ruin it. Brush up on the best ways to store cake with cream cheese frosting in the fridge and freezer.

How long can carrot cake be unrefrigerated? ›

If you want to keep carrot cake in tip-top shape from beginning to end, the FDA recommends that you don't leave it on the counter for any longer than two hours. A big part of what makes carrot cake so moist and delicious is that it's made with multiple dairy products.

Does a cake baked with cream cheese need to be refrigerated? ›

Fillings and toppings should be kept refrigerated." It also states, "Dessert containing cream cheese, whether baked or unbaked, should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days."

How do you store a cake with cream cheese frosting overnight? ›

If your cake is frosted with cream cheese or ganache, make sure to cover it and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. Covering your cake prevents the air from making it dry.

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