This layered Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting recipe features layers of moist carrot and pumpkin cake filled with warm spices and topped with fluffy brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
I have so many Easy and Delicious Cake Recipes for you to try! If carrot cakes are your favorite, don't skip these Mini Carrot Cake Loaves, this Christmas Carrot Sheet Cake, or this Naked Carrot Cake.
Why This Pumpkin and Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Works
- Recipe name: Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- Ready in: 1hr 50 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Serves: 16 slices
- Main ingredients: Carrots, pumpkin, flour, eggs, oil, brown sugar, icing sugar, and cream cheese.
- Perfect for: This is the perfect recipe to celebrate all things pumpkin this holiday season, spiced flavors included!
- Why I love it: This recipe is super easy to make, and since the sides of this cake are left unfrosted, this is a very easy cake to decorate.
- Calories: 732kcal
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If you love easy baking recipes with pumpkin as much as I do, try out this recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting or this recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes. These recipes are perfect for the pumpkin season!
Jump to:
- Why This Pumpkin and Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Works
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make a Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- Storage
- Expert Tips
- Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
- More Easy Layer Cake Recipes
- Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
- 📖 Recipe
Key Ingredients
- Sunflower oil - Use a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, like sunflower oil or canola oil.
- Muscovado sugar - I used a combination of muscovado and light brown sugar. I love the deep caramel flavor of the muscovado and the color it adds to the cake layers. You can choose to use brown sugar instead of the combination.
- Self-raising flour - If you are using all-purpose or plain flour, weigh the same amount of flour as stated in the recipe and add 2 tablespoons of baking powder. Sift the two together before using.
- Ground spices - Use my spice blend or pumpkin spice instead.
- Pumpkin puree - Use tinned pumpkin puree or make your own by microwaving a bag of pumpkin pieces as per the packet's instructions. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the puree before using it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
You can substitute this brown sugar cream cheese frosting for one of my other Easy and Delicious Buttercream Frosting Recipes. This Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting or this Chocolate Frosting with Melted Chocolate would be delicious spread over this moist pumpkin carrot cake.
Raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, coconut, and pineapple can also be mixed through the batter for extra flavour.
How to Make a Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions for Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and line 3 x 22cm (9-inch) cake tins with oil and parchment paper. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the oil, eggs, and sugar. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined, for about 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Sift together the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 3 batches. Mix at medium-low speed until just combined.
- Step 3: Add the grated carrots, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and chopped walnuts to the cake batter. Mix on low speed until combined; make sure the ingredients have mixed through, but do not over-mix the batter.
- Step 4: Pour the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their tins for 30 minutes, then remove them and cool completely on a wire rack.
Instructions for Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- Step 1: Add the butter and muscovado sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the butter softens and some of the sugar has dissolved. About 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined. This can take about 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the cream cheese and vanilla to the frosting mixture and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy. This can take about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Step 4: Place one cake layer on a cake plate with a little frosting, then spread a third of the frosting over the surface. Place the second cake layer on top of this and add the second third of the frosting. Top with the final cake layer, decorate the top with the remaining frosting, and place edible pumpkins on top of the frosted layer if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days. Keep it out of direct sunlight. If it is particularly hot, store the cake in the fridge.
Expert Tips
- Always use fresh room-temperature ingredients when baking.
- For fluffy, lump-free frosting, use room-temperature butter and cream cheese.
- Let the cakes cool completely before decorating.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting FAQs
Yes, you can use plain flour; sift 2 tablespoons of baking powder into it before using it.
You can use other-sized cake tins, but you will need to adjust the baking time. If you use two tins instead of three, then your baking time will be longer as the cake is deeper. Also, the smaller the cake tin, the longer the cake will bake; the larger the cake tin, the quicker it will bake.
To freeze this cake, cut it into individual slices and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge overnight, then bring the slices to room temperature before consuming.
"Yes! For a sheet cake, pour the batter into a greased 23 x 33 cm (9x13 inch) pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. For cupcakes, divide the batter evenly between lined muffin cups and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18-22 minutes."
More Easy Layer Cake Recipes
If you are making this layered pumpkin carrot cake as part of a Halloween feast, don't skip my other Easy Halloween Baking Recipes. These Ghost Meringues and this recipe for fluffy Black Velvet Cupcakes can't be missed!
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at this Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
Equipment
- 3x round cake pans 22cm diameter (9-inch)
Ingredients
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- 400 ml sunflower oil
- 300 grams muscovado sugar
- 150 grams light brown sugar
- 5 extra-large eggs
- 450 grams self-raising flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 grams pumpkin purée
- 450 grams carrots, grated
- 100 grams walnuts, chopped
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- 80 grams muscovado sugar
- 500 grams icing sugar
- 250 grams cream cheese
Instructions
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 3 x 22cm (9-inch) cake tins with oil and parchment paper.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the oil, eggs, and both types of sugar. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined, for about 3 minutes.
- Sift together the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. With the mixer running at low speed add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 3 batches. Mix at medium-low speed until just combined.
- Add the grated carrots, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and chopped walnuts to the cake batter. Mix at low speed until combined, be sure the ingredients have mixed through but do not over-mix the batter.
- Pour the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans and bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 30 minutes, then remove them and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the butter and muscovado sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the butter has softened and some of the sugar has dissolved. About 3 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined. This can take about 5 minutes.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and vanilla to the frosting mixture and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again until light and fluffy. This can take about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Secure one cake layer onto a cake plate with a little frosting, then spread a third of the frosting over the surface of the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of this and add the second third of the frosting. Top with the final cake layer and decorate the top of the cake with the remaining frosting and place edible pumpkins on top of the frosted layer if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- For fluffy frosting that is lump-free, always use room-temperature butter and cream cheese.
- Only decorate the cake layers with the forsting once they have cooled.
Debbie says
This cake was delicious, I’ll definitely be making it again soon!