Vanilla Bean Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
on Apr 02, 2025
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Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Frosting: Moist, flavorful & easy to bake! Vanilla bean elevates this classic dessert.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
Craving a dessert that’s both comforting and sophisticated? Look no further! This Vanilla Bean Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate treat for any occasion, from cozy family gatherings to elegant celebrations. We’re taking the classic carrot cake to a whole new level by infusing it with the delicate aroma of vanilla bean and topping it with a creamy, spiced cinnamon frosting. Get ready to experience a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave you wanting more!
Ingredient List
- Carrots– be sure to peel the carrots before baking
- Eggs– room temperature eggs are best when baking
- Sugar– this recipe was created using white sugar, so I would not substitute for anything else
- Vegetable Oil
- Buttermilk– you can make buttermilk by adding
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Crushed Pineapple– you can buy the canned or crush your own pineapple
- Shredded Coconut- you can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconuts
- Flour– if you want this cake to be gluten free use 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour
- Baking Powder– make sure to use the correct amount of baking powder and soda, they are different things
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon– be sure to mix all the dry ingredients before adding to the cake
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Cream Cheese– don’t use a whipped cream cheese, use a traditional style
- Butter– I prefer slated butter in all baked goods
- Powder Sugar
- Milk– your favorite milk will work great
- Vanilla Extract
Step By Step
How to Bake Your Dream Carrot Cake:
- Prep Your Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or square.)
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla bean seeds.
- Add the Goodies: Stir in the grated carrots, drained pineapple, and shredded coconut.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Whip Up the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream the Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined.
- Flavor with Cinnamon and Vanilla: Stir in the milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Frost and Decorate: Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost them with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon for a beautiful finish.
Pro Tip
- To make homemade buttermilk, simply combine 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens and curdles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have Vanilla Bean Paste?
If you don’t have any vanilla bean paste you can absolutely replace it with traditional vanilla extract.
Spring Recipes to Share with All
Vanilla Bean Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 4 cups peeled and finely grated carrots
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, well drained
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla seeds, coconut and pineapple. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined. Grease pan or pans of your choice. I used 2 8″ x 8″ square pans. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean.
- Let cool on a rack while making the frosting.
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Depending on how thick you like your frosting you may need to add more powdered sugar or more milk.
- Frost cake and sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
Yum! This looks delish!. I found you via Joy’s blog tips post. Hooray! I have some carrots in the fridge that are destined for a dessert. I’m thinking about making this into cupcakes. Will let you know if it happens. : )
just delish, I make a carrot -zucchini waffle for the kids and you might try to add a little zucchini… xoxoooxo aunt chef melo