This is truly the Best-Ever Buttermilk Carrot Cake on the planet! Learn the simple secret to making this moist, tender, homemade classic cake, complete with spices, shredded carrots and coconut, toasted pecans, and creamy rum cream cheese frosting!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot cake
Prep Time 1 hourhour
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Cooling Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 1169kcal
Author Erica
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
2cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking soda
1teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
1tablespoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
4large eggs
1cupbrown sugar
½cupgranulated sugar
¾cupvegetable oil
½cupunsweetened applesauce
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
3cupscarrotgrated
1cupunsweetened coconutshredded
1cuppecanschopped & toasted
Rum Buttermilk Glaze
¾cupgranulated sugar
1teaspoonbaking soda
½cupbuttermilk
¼cupunsalted butter
1tablespoonlight corn syrup
1tablespoondark rumoptional
Rum Cream Cheese Frosting
8ouncescream cheesesoftened
½cupunsalted buttersoftened
2 ½cupspowdered sugar
Pinchsalt
1tablespoondark rumor 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3tablespoonsheavy cream
Instructions
Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottoms of three 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper, then spray with nonstick spray. (This cake can also be made larger in 8-inch pans, the layers will just be thinner.)
In a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugars, oil, applesauce, and vanilla until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in carrots, coconut, and pecans until evenly combined.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Pour the warm buttermilk glaze over the hot cakes and let them cool in pans for 15-20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Rum Buttermilk Glaze
Add all ingredients except rum to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring them to a boil, stirring often, 4-5 minutes until combined. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Set aside to cool briefly before pouring over cakes.
Rum Cream Cheese Frosting
Add butter to a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and whip and additional 3-4 minutes.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, then sift powdered sugar and salt into the mixture. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium-high and whip for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated.
Scrape bowl again, then add rum and heavy cream. Whip 3-4 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
Level the tops of each cake layer with a long, sharp knife. Place one of the layers on a cake plate or stand, then spread ⅓ cup cream cheese frosting in an even layer. Repeat with second layer.
Place the third layer on top and use the remaining frosting to coat the top and sides of the cake, saving some to pipe a border on top if desired. Garnish the sides and top with chopped, toasted pecans and carrot tops and curls.