The Easiest Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake:

• 2 large eggs
• ½ c granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• ½ c milk
• ½ c avocado oil or any neutral oil
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 + 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, optional
• ½-1 c whole walnuts, crushed, optional

Cream Cheese Icing:

• ½ c softened cream cheese
• ¼ c softened butter
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a big bowl, add the eggs, sugar and pure vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Add the oil and milk and whisk again. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the grated carrots. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until you have a thick pourable batter. If desired, add optional crushed walnuts into the batter and fold them in.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan that’s been sprayed with pan spray and lined with parchment paper. Give it a tap or gently shake to distribute the batter evenly. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.

Make the icing: With a hand-held or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the pure vanilla extract and mix. Fold the powdered sugar into the mixture with a spatula, then mix until silky smooth. (If the icing is too soft, you can leave it in the refrigerator to firm up before adding to the cake.) Spread the icing onto the cake evenly, slice and enjoy!